Rapid Fire
Flowers Pollination by Large Carnivore
- 23 Dec 2024
- 2 min read
The Ethiopian wolf, a rare and endangered species, acts as an unexpected pollinator, challenging traditional views on plant-pollinator relationships.
- The Ethiopian wolf feeds on the nectar of Ethiopian red hot poker flowers, potentially aiding in pollination by transferring pollen on its muzzle.
- The Ethiopian red hot poker is a red and yellow colored flower that produces a sweet nectar attracting a host of pollinators.
- Ethiopian Wolf:
- It is a specialised rodent hunter in the Afroalpine ecosystem.
- Afroalpine ecosystems are unique high-altitude regions of Africa, particularly in the Ethiopian Highlands (3200 meters above sea level, cold and harsh climate).
- It is about the size of a large dog, with a reddish coat, white markings on its throat and chest, and a black bushy tail.
- With fewer than 500 alive today, it is Africa’s most endangered carnivore.
- It lives only in Ethiopia, in high-altitude "sky islands" above the tropical forests.
- Sky Islands are isolated mountains surrounded by radically different lowland environments.
- It is a specialised rodent hunter in the Afroalpine ecosystem.
- Other Carnivore Pollinators: Bats are nectar-eating pollinator mammals.
- Small carnivore species such as civets or mongooses do pollination.
- Omnivorous bears, such as sun bears, may eat nectar too.
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