Wolves May Be Pollinators as Well as Predators, Study Suggests

Biologist Claudio Sillero first observed a curious behavior among Ethiopian wolves in the 1980s: these carnivores were licking the flowers of the red hot poker plant, native to Ethiopia’s highlands. New research now confirms this behavior and suggests that these wolves might act as unexpected pollinators.

Published in Ecology in November, the study documents Ethiopian wolves licking nectar from the flowers of these brightly colored plants. Researchers followed six wolves from three packs over four days, noting that all licked the flower heads, sometimes for up to 1.5 hours. This behavior appears to supplement their primarily rodent-based diet, fitting what researchers call the “dessert hypothesis”—using an extra, enjoyable resource when available.

The nectar is sweet and popular among other local animals like baboons, mountain goats, and domestic dogs. Even local shepherds’ children indulge in the flowers’ sugary treat. Sillero himself tried the nectar, describing it as “very sweet and quite pleasant.”

Interestingly, the wolves may help pollinate the plants. As they lick the nectar, significant amounts of pollen accumulate on their muzzles, and some wolves visit as many as 30 flowers in one trip. This behavior makes Ethiopian wolves a rare example of a large carnivore potentially contributing to pollination.

Red hot poker plants are typically pollinated by birds, but Jeff Ollerton, a pollination expert, suggests wolves might play a minor role. The wolves’ smaller size allows them to access only the lower flowers, which may have already been pollinated or are no longer viable. Still, the study highlights the under-documented role of mammals in pollination, paving the way for further research.

Ethiopian wolves are Africa’s rarest canids, with just 454 adults remaining in the wild. Their population is limited to Ethiopia’s Afroalpine meadows and threatened by habitat loss and diseases transmitted by domestic dogs. Conservation efforts, spearheaded by Sillero through the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, have helped stabilize their numbers, leading to a status upgrade from “critically endangered” to “endangered” by the IUCN in 2004.

Engaging the public with studies like this one could further conservation goals. By showcasing the wolves’ unique behaviors, Sillero hopes to inspire support for broader biodiversity initiatives. “It’s an obvious model for conservation policy,” he said, emphasizing that protecting flagship species like the Ethiopian wolf could yield widespread benefits for local ecosystems and communities.

This discovery opens new avenues for understanding the ecological roles of carnivores. Future studies could examine how consistently Ethiopian wolves transport pollen and how they compare to other pollinators. While their contribution to pollination may be modest, their behavior underscores the complex and interconnected nature of ecosystems, revealing surprising relationships between predators and plants.