Ecology

Ethiopian wolf hunting and in it's mouth lays a giant mole rat.

Ethiopian Wolf's Niche

Ethiopian wolves can be found in the afro-alpine grasslands, which is a type of temperate grassland, in Ethiopia making it a climax community where the population of different species is stable. This ecosystem comprises of high mountains, covered un low growing shrubs, tussock grass, heaths that stand up to 2-3 feet tall, strawflower scrubs, and some heather trees. And in this ecosystem, the Ethiopian wolf stands as the keystone species, meaning they are the key predator of the ecosystem. They regulate the numbers of preys in the area so there maintains a balance in the ecosystem. Each species found in the afro-alpine ecosystem share mutualism, each depending on one another be it for food, shelter, and control in the population. Their current population size is between 360-440 adults in the wild, which is why this species can be found in the list of endangered species because of their dwindling numbers.

How do Ethiopian Wolves Interact with Their Ecosystem?

Use the Mountains and the Terrain as Dens

Dens are essential in an Ethiopian wolfs' life because it provides safety for a mother wolf to give birth to her pups. Female Ethiopian wolves either dig under a boulder, hide in a cave, or inside a rocky crevice. Being that their ecosystem has mountain areas it helps provide them with a safe place to raise their young, but they don't use them to sleep in. Some dens can have multiple entrances and interconnect forming a hidden city for the wolves.

Ethiopian wolf found along the side of the Bale Mountains.

Ethiopian wolf with an animal carcass in their mouth.

Scavenging on Carcasses

A very important process in an ecosystem is scavengers. Why are they important you may ask? Scavengers help the ecosystem by first removing dead organisms from the ecosystem and they help break down these carcasses into nutrients, it's a natural way of recycling. When Ethiopian wolves aren't hunting on rodents and other animals, they can be found scavenging for dead organisms.

Unique Co-Dependency

A unique relationship found in the Afro-alpine grasslands is between a herbivore and a carnivore. The Gelada monkey feeds on the leaves of grasses, fruits, invertebrates, and crops. This disruption causes the rodents underground to peek out their holes and that's when the Ethiopian wolf uses this opportunity to hunt. The Ethiopian wolves can roam around with the Gelada monkeys and they are both left unbothered from one another, since Ethiopian wolf don't primarily eat monkeys they hunt for smaller rodents, and the Gelada monkey are herbivores; in this aspect there is no interference from both parts.

The Ethiopian wolf and the Gelada monkey together looking for food.

References:

Ethiopian wolf. Ethiopian Wolf - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://animalia.bio/ethiopian-wolf#population
https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/ethiopian-wolf#:~:text=Adult%20Ethiopian%20wolves%20in%20a,multiple%20entrances%20and%20be%20interconnected.
Scavenger. National Geographic Society. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/scavenger
Platt, J. R. (2015, July 8). Wolves and monkeys: Unusual hunting buddies. Scientific American Blog Network. Retrieved from https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/wolves-monkeys-buddies/

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