Tag Archives: carnivore

Ethiopian wolves, known for their love of nectar, may become the first carnivore pollinators

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Ethiopian wolf licks nectar from red hot poker flowers in Ethiopia

Adrian Lesaffre

Ethiopian wolves feed on the sweet nectar of local flowers and apply pollen to their noses as they do so. This could make them the first carnivores discovered to function as pollinators.

Ethiopian wolf (canis mensis) is the world's rarest wild canid and Africa's most endangered carnivore. Endemic to the Ethiopian highlands, fewer than 500 individuals remain.

sandra rye Researchers at the University of Oxford observed wild Ethiopian wolves sucking nectar from Ethiopian red hot pokers (Kniphofia foliosa) flowers. Local mountain people have traditionally used its nectar as a sweetener for coffee and flatbread.

Wolves are thought to be the first large carnivores recorded to regularly feed on nectar.

“Nectar feeding is highly unusual for large carnivores such as wolves. This is due to a lack of physical adaptations such as long tongues and specialized noses, and also because most flowers are too fragile. “It's either easy to eat, or it produces too little nectar to be interesting to large carnivores,” Rai says.

The poker plant's durable, nectar-rich flower heads make this behavior possible, she says. “To my knowledge, no other large carnivores have shown nectar-feeding behavior. However, although rare and poorly documented, some omnivorous bears do opportunistically forage for nectar.” It may happen.

Some wolves reportedly visited as many as 30 flowers at once. When wolves lick nectar from flowers, their muzzles become coated with pollen. Pollen may be transferred from flower to flower as wolves feed.

Sucking nectar is extremely rare among carnivores

Adrian Lesaffre

“This behavior is interesting because it suggests that nectar feeding and pollination by flightless mammals may be more widespread than currently recognized, and raises the question of the ecological importance of these little-known pollinators.” “It shows that it may be more important than we think,” Lai said. “It's very exciting.”

Mr. Rai and his colleagues Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program In the future, we hope to dig deeper into this behavior and its effects. “It would be ideal to confirm actual pollination by wolves, but that would be very difficult,” she says. “I'm also very interested in the social learning aspect of behavior. This year I witnessed adults bringing children to flower gardens, which may indicate cultural transmission. there is.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Ethiopian Wolf Makes History as First Large Carnivore to Consume Flower Nectar

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by honey collectors Ethiopian wolf (canis mensis) may contribute to pollination of Ethiopian Red Hot Poker Flower (Kniphofia foliosa)According to new paper Published in a magazine ecology.

Ethiopian wolf (canis mensis) Lick the nectar of the Ethiopian Red Hot Poker flower (Kniphofia foliosa). Image credit: Adrian LeSafre.

Ethiopian wolf too known as The red jackal, Ethiopian jackal, Abyssinian wolf, horse jackal, Simien jackal, or Simien fox, is the world's rarest wild canid.

The seeds are listed as endangered species IUCN, citing their small number and fragmented scope,

Found only in the highlands of Ethiopia, fewer than 500 individuals survive in 99 herds confined to six Afroalpine enclaves.

This large carnivore's main prey is the African mole rat, but it also eats other types of rats, hares, and sometimes geese and eggs.

Dr. Sandra Rai, a researcher at the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program and the University of Oxford, and her colleagues observed Ethiopian wolves foraging for wolf nectar. Kniphofia foliosa.

“Kniphofia foliosa is an endemic Ethiopian perennial found in the Bare Mountains and other high-altitude grasslands, where the endemic Ethiopian wolf, a top predator restricted to African alpine ecosystems, also lives.” said.

“Flowers from kniphofia This genus produces large amounts of nectar and attracts a variety of bird and insect pollinators. ”

The researchers say some Ethiopian wolves visit up to 30 flowers on a single trip, with multiple wolves from different packs exploiting this resource.

There is also evidence of social learning, with children being taken to flower gardens with adults.

By doing so, the wolf's muzzle becomes coated with pollen, which can be transferred from flower to flower as the wolf feeds.

This new behavior is probably the first known plant-pollinator interaction involving a large predator, and it is also the only large carnivorous predator ever observed to feed on nectar.

Professor Claudio Cirello of the University of Oxford, founder and director of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program, said: “I first discovered the nectar of the Ethiopian red hot poker when I saw shepherd children in the Bale Mountains licking the flowers.'' I learned of its existence,” he said.

“Soon I tasted it too. The honey had a pleasant sweetness.”

“When I later saw the wolves doing the same thing, I could see that they were having fun tapping into this rare energy source.”

“We are pleased to report that this behavior is common among Ethiopian wolves and to investigate its ecological significance.”

“These findings highlight how much we still have to learn about one of the world's most threatened carnivores,” Dr Lai said.

“This also shows the complexity of the interactions between the different species that inhabit Africa's beautiful roofs.”

“This extremely unique and biodiverse ecosystem remains under threat from habitat loss and fragmentation.”

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sandra rye others. Are canids pollinators? Nectar collection by Ethiopian wolves may contribute to wolf pollination. Kniphofia foliosa. ecologypublished online on November 19, 2024. doi: 10.1002/ecy.4470

Source: www.sci.news

How a carnivore diet impacts your health: Insights from a nutritionist

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Have you heard of the carnivore diet? It’s a new trend that takes low-carb dieting to the extreme by eliminating all plant foods and only consuming animal-derived foods like meat, fish, animal fats, and dairy products. Proponents claim that plant toxins and agricultural practices used in plant-based foods can harm our health, and suggest that eliminating sugar by cutting out plant foods can promote weight management and metabolic health.

While there is no scientific evidence on the health effects of the carnivore diet, anecdotal reports suggest benefits like improved weight management, cardiac and metabolic health, cognitive function, reduced inflammation, improved digestion, and even resolution of autoimmune diseases. However, side effects such as bad breath, constipation, and headaches may occur initially.

Nutritionally, animal-based foods provide high-quality proteins, essential vitamins like B12, iron, zinc, selenium, and other nutrients. However, the lack of fiber from fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains in a carnivore diet may raise concerns for long-term gut and heart health. Scientific studies have shown the benefits of plant foods in reducing the risk of diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, while high intake of red and processed meats can increase risks.

Proponents of the carnivore diet argue that it aligns with early human diets, but biological evidence suggests that humans evolved as omnivores who consumed both animals and plants. Transitioning to more sustainable and healthy food systems that consider the health of the planet is crucial, and excessive meat consumption may not support this goal. Ultimately, the choice to follow a carnivore diet may have long-term health implications and ethical considerations.

This article was first published on December 5, 2022.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com