Facts About Jackals
By Alina Bradford, Live
Science Contributor | January
26, 2017 09:05pm ET
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A black-backed jackal walks
in the Namib desert.
Credit: namibelephant |
Shutterstock
Jackals are a type of canine,
animals that are related to
dogs, coyotes, foxes and
wolves. They look like a
cross between a German
shepherd and a fox. They
have the fox's small face,
delicate legs and fluffy tail,
with the German shepherd's
long, alert ears.
Size and description
There are three species of
jackal. There's the black-
backed jackal; the golden, or
common, jackal; and the
side-striped jackal. All three
species are about the size of
domestic dogs. They grow to
27 to 33 inches (70 to 85
centimeters) shoulder to
rump, with a tail length of
about 10 inches (25 cm).
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They stand about 16 inches
(40 cm) at the shoulder and
weigh 11 to 26 lbs. (5 to 12
kilograms), according to the
Animal Diversity Web. (ADW).
The distinguishing
characteristics of each
species are denoted in their
common names, according to
the ADW. The black-backed
jackal has black hair running
from the back of the neck to
the tail. The rest of the body
is reddish-brown or ginger
and the chest is white. Side-
striped jackals are light gray
to tan with a white stripe
from elbow to hip and black
side stripes. The golden
jackal's coat is usually yellow
to pale gold and brown-
tipped, but the color can
vary with season and region.
Habitat
Jackals live primarily in
Africa, but in different
regions.
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The black-backed jackal
stays mostly in savannas
and woodlands. There are
two discrete populations. One
lives at the southern tip of
the continent in South Africa,
Namibia, Botswana and
Zimbabwe. The other is found
along the eastern coastline,
including Kenya, Somalia and
Ethiopia. The populations are
separated by the Olduvai
Gorge in Tanzania, an area
with harsh terrain that is
difficult to cross.
The side-striped jackal likes
it a little on the wetter side. It
is found predominantly in
tropical Africa and prefers
moist savannas, marshes,
bushlands and mountains,
according to the African
Wildlife Federation.
The golden jackal likes it
dry, in deserts, open
savannas and arid
grasslands. It is the
northernmost species, living
in North and East Africa, as
well as southeastern Europe
and South Asia to Burma.
A golden jackal crouches as
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A golden jackal crouches as
it stalks some prey.
Credit: Vladimir Kogan Michael
Shutterstock
Habits
Some jackals are social
creatures, while others are
not. Some live together in
small groups called packs,
while others live alone or in
pairs. Packs typically include
around six members.
Jackal pairs do everything
together, including eating
and sleeping. They are also
very territorial and defend
their territory as a team.
They also hunt together.
According to the ADW, jackal
pairs who hunt together are
three times more likely to get
a successful kill than a single
jackal.
Jackals are often both
diurnal and nocturnal. This
means that they are active
during dawn, dusk and night.
Side-striped jackals are the
exception. They are strictly
nocturnal.
Diet
As omnivores, jackals like to
eat both meat and
vegetation. Their diet
consists of leftovers from
other animals' kills, ground-
dwelling birds, reptiles,
antelopes, fruits, insects,
berries and grass. They're
not picky, though. They will
also eat human trash if
something more suitable isn't
available. Jackals will even
eat decomposing or diseased
flesh, according to Animal
Planet.
Offspring
Jackals have one mate for
life, and both parents help
take care of the young. After
a gestation period of 57 to
70 days, the female will give
birth to two to four babies in
her underground den. They
are born with their eyes
sealed shut and it take them
around 10 days for their
eyes to open.
Baby jackals are called pups.
Pups eat mother's milk and
regurgitated food until they
are weaned at 2 months.
Most jackal pup deaths
happen before they are 14
weeks old. Many are
swooped up by eagles and
eaten. To protect her pups,
a mother jackal changes her
den every two weeks.
Pups start hunting at around
6 months, but mom and dad
still take care of them as
long as they need it. Jackals
become sexually mature at 6
to 11 months of age. Some
jackals leave their parents
at 11 months. Some stay and
babysit, protect and feed
their younger siblings.
Jackals typically live 10 to 12
years.
A side-striped jackal roams
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A side-striped jackal roams
the savanna in Botswana.
Credit: Dennis W Donohue
Shutterstock
Classification/
taxonomy
Here is the taxonomy for
jackals, according to the
Integrated Taxonomic
Information System
(ITIS):
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Bilateria
Infrakingdom:
Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum:
Gnathostomata
Superclass: Tetrapoda
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Caniformia
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species:
Canis adustus (side-
striped jackal)
Canis aureus (golden
jackal)
Canis mesomelas (black-
backed jackal)
Conservation status
The three species of jackal
are not endangered and are
listed by the International
Union for Conservation of
Nature' Red List of
Threatened Species as least
concern. This means that
their populations are mostly
stable and they are found in
multiple regions.
Other facts
Each jackal family has their
own yipping sound that only
members of their own family
respond to.
Side-striped jackals can hoot
like owls. Because of this,
they are called "o loo" by the
Karamajong people of
Uganda.