Jackal
The jackal, a medium-sized carnivore with doglike
features and a bushy tail, is widely distributed in Africa, the Middle
East and India. This animal has long been the subject of superstition
about death and evil spirits. The ancient Egyptians believed a jackal-headed
god, Anubis, guided the dead to those who judged their souls. Such
beliefs were probably encouraged by the jackal's cleverness, nocturnal
habits, eerie howling and scavenging.
Physical Characteristic
The three species of jackal in East Africa are the golden or common
jackal, the side-striped jackal and the black-backed or silver-backed
jackal. The golden jackal is somewhat shorter and stockier, and the
black-backed is the most slender and upstanding, with noticeably larger
ears. Mainly, they differ in color and choice of habitat.
The sandy-colored golden jackal prefers open, grassy plains, while
the side-striped jackal lives along water courses with dense undergrowth.
This jackal is drabber in color, has a white tip on the tail and
indistinct black and white stripes along the sides of the body.
The black-backed jackal is easily recognized by the mantle of black
hair on the back that contrasts with the rust-colored body. The
black mantle is streaked with white and from a distance has a silvery
appearance. The tail is black-tipped, as is that of the golden jackal.
The black-backed jackal is usually the most frequently seen as
it is more diurnal than the other two species. When they live close
to well-settled areas, however, black-backed jackals often confine
most of their activities to nighttime.
Habitat
The common jackal lives in open savannas, deserts
and arid grasslands. Side-striped jackals are found in moist savannas,
marshes, bushlands and mountains. The sliver-backed jackal lives primarily
in savannas and woodlands.
Behavior
Jackals live singly or in pairs, and are sometimes
found in small packs. They are among the few mammalian species in
which the male and female mate for life. Mated pairs are territorial,
and both the female and male mark and defend the boundaries of their
territory.
Yipping calls are made when the family gathers. Members only respond
to their own family's calls and ignore those of other individuals.
Although they have long had a reputation as sneaky, skulking scavengers,
research has shown jackals to be agile, lithe hunters with close-knit,
cooperative family groups. They have been successful in adapting
to changing environments.
Diet
Jackals can best be described as opportunistic omnivores.
They cooperatively hunt small or young antelopes such as dikdiks or
Thomson's gazelles or even domestic sheep. They also eat snakes and
other reptiles, insects, ground-dwelling birds, fruits, berries and
grass. A pair of jackals will move through their territory at a fast
trot, stopping frequently to examine something, sniff the air or listen-ready
for any opportunity that might provide a meal.
Caring for the Young
Litters number up to six but usually average two
to four. It takes about 10 days for the infants' eyes to open, and
for the first few weeks of life they remain in the thickets or holes
where they were born. At about 3 weeks they begin to spend time outside
playing with their litter-mates. At first the games are clumsy attempts
at wrestling, pawing and biting. As they become more coordinated,
they ambush and pounce, play tug of war and chase each other. The
mother changes den sites about every two weeks, so the young are less
likely to be found by predators.
The pups are suckled and fed regurgitated food until they are about
2 months. By 3 months they no longer use the den, but start to follow
their parents, slowly learning the territory and observing hunting
behavior. By 6 months, they are hunting on their own. Their parents,
however, continue to feed, groom and play with them.
Sometimes pups stay with their parents and help raise their younger
brothers and sisters. At times they bring back food to their younger
siblings or babysit them while the parents hunt for food. Most pup
deaths occur during the first 14 weeks of life, so the presence
of helpers increases the survival rate.
Predators
Leopards, hyenas and eagles are jackals' most feared
predators. Eagles are small pups biggest threat.
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