These Endangered Wolves Have a Sweet Tooth—and It Might Make Them Rare Carnivorous Pollinators

Most flowering plants need pollinators, relying on bees, bats, birds and more to help them produce seeds and fruits. Sometimes, in rarer cases, a small carnivore puts themself up for the job. Now, scientists say the Ethiopian wolf, the world’s rarest wild dog, might be the first known large carnivore to pollinate, as the canines lick red hot poker flowers to get their sweet fix.

In a new study published in Ecology last week, a team of researchers studying the endangered Ethiopian wolves captured the blossom-licking behavior on camera. The wolves, feeding on the flowers’ sweet nectar, might act as pollinators because of the remnants of pollen on their muzzles.