Ethiopian wolves are the first large carnivores found to slurp nectar

Some wolves have a taste for dessert.

In the highlands of Ethiopia, carnivorous Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) dine almost exclusively on rodents. But the predators also have a sweet tooth, sometimes slurping nectar from Ethiopian red hot poker flowers (Kniphofia foliosa), researchers report November 19 in Ecology.

The behavior hints at an unexpected role for wolves in this ecosystem: pollinator. As a wolf licks nectar from the cone-shaped flowers, its muzzle can become covered in pollen that could get passed from flower to flower.

.email-conversion { border: 1px solid #ffcccb; color: white; margin-top: 50px; background-image: url(“/wp-content/themes/sciencenews/client/src/images/[email protected]”); padding: 20px; clear: both; }

→ Continue reading at Science News

More from author

Related posts

Advertisment

Latest posts

Donald Trump Jr. is set to join the board of a ‘woke-free’ marketplace. Its stock is surging | CNN Business

New York CNN  —  The owner of “woke-free” online marketplace PublicSquare exploded in value on Tuesday on news that...

Starchy nanofibers shatter the record for world’s thinnest pasta

The world record for the thinnest pasta has been shattered, though the new, narrow noodles are better suited to wound dressings than the dinner...

Fox News ignores Pete Hegseth misconduct allegations as concerns over Trump pick mount | CNN Business

New York CNN  —  What’s a media outlet supposed to do when its longtime host is picked to run...