![]() Jackals are not a threatened species and are classed as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN.This group, also known as “the canids,” comprises smaller, dog-like carnivores such as the side-striped and black-backed jackal and bat-eared fox.Ĭanids are very social animals. Jackals have a life span of between 10 and 12 years. With these little helpers, the next litter has more chance of surviving. Often, young jackals return to help the parents raise another litter. At 8 months, the pups are old enough to leave their parents and establish territories of their own. ![]() As the pups develop more coordination, they learn to ambush and pounce and will begin to chase and play tug of war among themselves.ĭen sites are changed as often as every 2 weeks to help protect the pups from predators. Their first game play is quite clumsy with attempts at wrestling, pawing and biting. ![]() They eventually begin to learn hunting and territorial behaviour from their parents. Pups remain in thickets for the first few weeks of their lives and then venture outside to play with their litter mates. They are weaned at 4 months and they reach sexual maturity between 1 and 2 years of age. For the first 10 days, the pups are blind and cannot open their eyes. Each pup weighs 200 – 250 grams at birth. The female Jackal has a gestation period of 8 – 9 weeks (2 months) after which a litter of 3 – 6 pups is born. Jackals are monogamous, meaning they mate for life. Eagles are the biggest threat to newborn pups. Jackals are preyed upon by eagles, leopards and hyenas. Jackals will only take notice of the calls from their family and will ignore all other calls. The Side-striped Jackal uses a ‘hoot’ sound like an owls rather than a howl. Jackals are very vocal and communicate with each other using a loud yell or yap, growls and high pitched howls, particularly when prey is located. They trot quickly through their territories, frequently stopping to sniff the air and smell for food. Jackals are adaptable animals and can adapt easily to changing environments. The other two species have a tendency to behave nocturnally. The Black-backed Jackal is the most commonly seen species as it is diurnal. Both male and female jackals scent mark their boundaries. Territories may also contain some young adults who have remained with their parents until they are able to establish their own territories. Jackals are very territorial and monogamous pairs will fiercely defend their territory from intruders. Jackals have a habit of burying their food if an intruder enters the area where it is feeding. Jackals will also supplement their diet with insects, vegetation and fruit. Jackals kill small prey with a bite to the back of the neck. Their diet consists of small mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Some Jackals may gather to scavenge a carcass or to hunt larger prey such as antelope, gazelles and livestock but normally hunt alone or in pairs. With their long legs and curved canine teeth, they are well adapted for hunting. Jackals are nocturnal, omnivorous scavengers. The Common Jackal is generally found in deserts, steppes and semi-arid deserts, the Black-backed Jackal is found in woodlands and savannas and the Side-striped Jackal prefers marshes, bush land and mountains. Jackals habitats include desert, grassy plains and open (sometimes wooded) savannas depending on species. The Common and the Black-backed Jackals have black tipped tails. ![]() The Side-striped Jackal is more dull in colour and has black and white stripes down the sides of its body and a white tipped tail. The Common Jackal has a shorter and heavier appearance and has a sandy coloured coat while the Black-backed Jackal is the most slender and upstanding species with larger eyes and a distinctive black mantle streaked with silver on its back contrasting with a rusty coloured body. Jackals are able to run for long periods of time maintaining speeds of 10 miles per hour. Jackals are well adapted as long distance runners with their large feet and fused leg bones. Jackals vary in size and colour depending on species, however, they generally measure 15 – 20 inches high at the shoulder, have a body length of 70 – 86 centimetres and weigh between 15 – 35 pounds. ![]() Jackals are similar to the African ecological niche as Coyotes are in North America. Common Jackals are also known as Golden Jackals, Asiatic Jackals and Oriental Jackals. There are three species of Jackal, the Common Jackal (Canis aureus), the Side-striped Jackal (Canis adustus) and the Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas). A Jackal is a small to medium sized canid found in Africa, Asia and southeastern Europe. ![]()
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