Ethiopian jackals turned out to be sweet-toothed creatures.

Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) is one of the rarest species in the canine family. These long-legged and long-muzzled animals, descended from wolves, inhabit a narrow band of mountainous Ethiopia. In scientific literature, this predator is also referred to as the Ethiopian jackal or fox, and the Ethiopian bushy-tailed jackal. The total population across its seven existing groups is estimated at 550 adult individuals.

As part of the conservation project Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, Ethiopian wolves are regularly monitored. Recently, scientists observed these predators licking nectar from the flowers of the endemic Ethiopian plant Kniphofia foliosa (Kniphofia foliosa). During their "sweet feast," the animals' snouts became covered in pollen, suggesting that as they moved from flower to flower, they likely acted as pollinators.

Observations of Canis simensis showed that some individuals visited up to 30 flowers in a single outing, with different packs indulging in nectar. Researchers also noted evidence of social learning: young Ethiopian wolves would visit flowering fields alongside adults.

According to the authors of the new study, this behavior may represent the first known instance of a large predator pollinating plants. It is also likely the only documented case of a sufficiently large carnivore feeding on nectar.

The range of animals that pollinate flowering plants is quite broad. Previous scientific works have shown that among mammals, nectarivorous pollinators are primarily represented by flying species, such as bats, and to a lesser extent by some marsupials, rodents, primates, and small carnivores.

Mammals involved in pollination tend to be small or medium-sized and often reside in trees. Carnivorous mammals (Carnivora) that include nectar in their diet are much rarer: in one previous review, scientists counted only four predatory species potentially capable of being pollinators.

However, research in this area is ongoing, and the list of carnivores that consume nectar and are presumably involved in pollination is expanding. An article in the journal Ecology about Ethiopian wolves enjoying the sweet treat from Kniphofia flowers is further evidence of this.

In conclusion, the authors of the scientific paper noted that their findings highlight how much people still do not know about one of the world's most vulnerable predators, as well as demonstrating the complex interactions among different species inhabiting this region of Africa.