African wolf, Golden wolf, African golden jackal
The African golden wolf (Canis lupaster) is a canine that plays a prominent role in some African cultures. It was previously classified as an African variant of the Golden jackal. In 2015, a series of analyses on the species' mitochondrial DNA and nuclear genome demonstrated that it was, in fact, distinct from the Golden jackal, and more closely related to the Gray wolf and the coyote.
The African golden wolf has a relatively long snout and ears, and a comparatively short tail. Fur color varies individually, seasonally, and geographically, though the typical coloration is yellowish to silvery grey, with slightly reddish limbs and black speckling on the tail and shoulders. The throat, abdomen, and facial markings are usually white, and the eyes are amber-colored. Females bear two to four pairs of teats. Although superficially similar to the Golden jackal (particularly in East Africa), the African golden wolf has a more pointed muzzle and sharper, more robust teeth. The ears are longer in the African wolf, and the skull has a more elevated forehead.
The African golden wolf is commonly found in Africa in the northeast and northwest, in the east from Senegal to Egypt, throughout Libya, Algeria, and Morocco in the north, and in the south to Chad, Nigeria, and Tanzania. African golden wolves are adapted to live in different habitats; in Algeria, they occur in the Mediterranean, coastal and hilly areas (including hedged farmlands, scrublands, pinewoods, and oak forests), while populations in Senegal inhabit tropical, semi-arid climate zones including Sahelian savannahs. Populations in Mali have been documented in arid Sahelian massifs. In Egypt, the African these animals inhabit agricultural areas, wastelands, desert margins, rocky areas, and cliffs. At Lake Nasser, they live close to the lakeshore.
The African golden wolf's social organization is very flexible and differs according to the food that is available. The breeding pair is the basic unit, along with its current offspring, and perhaps members of previous litters staying on as "helpers". Big groups are rare, only observed in areas where there is much human waste. Relationships within African golden wolf families are comparatively peaceful. The wolves will lie with each other and groom each other. They are more active in the daytime. These animals are very territorial, with the pair patrolling and marking their territory in tandem. Both of the partners, as well as their helpers, will behave aggressively towards intruders, in particular those of the same sex. Partners do not help each other repel intruders which are the opposite sex. African golden wolves frequently groom one another, particularly during courtship, which can last up to 30 minutes. When greeting they nibble the face and neck of one another. When fighting, African golden wolves slam their opponents with their hips and bite and shake the shoulder. Their vocalizations are similar to those of the domestic dog, with seven sounds having been recorded, including howls, barks, growls, whines, and cackles. Subspecies can be recognized by differences in their howls. One of the most commonly heard sounds is a high, keening wail, of which there are three varieties; a long single-toned continuous howl, a wail that rises and falls, and a series of short, staccato howls. These howls are used to repel intruders and attract family members. African golden wolves also howl in chorus; it is thought that they do so to reinforce family bonds and establish territorial status.
African golden wolves are carnivores and scavengers. They eat small prey, including hares, rats, grass cutters, ground squirrels, snakes, lizards and ground-nesting birds, francolins, and bustards. They also eat many insects, including dung beetles, termites, larvae, and grasshoppers. They will also hunt young gazelles, warthogs, and duikers, and eat animal carcasses, fruit, and human refuse.
African wolves are monogamous. Their courtship rituals are extremely long, during which the pair stay almost constantly together. Before mating, they patrol and mark their territory with scent. After the gestation period of about 63 days, the female gives birth to a litter of 1 to 9 pups. In the Serengeti (in Eastern Africa), pups are born in December-January. They begin to eat solid food after one month. Weaning starts at the age of 2 months and ends at 4 months. By then the young can venture up to 50 m out from the den, being semi-independent, sometimes sleeping in the open. The mother feeds her pups more often than the father or helpers do. The playing behavior of the pups becomes increasingly more aggressive, as they compete for rank, this being established after 6 months.
The main threat to the African golden wolf is the loss of its habitat. As the human population grows, it results in the expansion of roads, settlements, and agriculture, which threatens this species. Losing their habitat, African golden wolves invade human settlements, where people consider them a danger to livestock and poultry, and kill them as pests.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the African golden wolf total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
As African golden wolves consume garbage and animals’ carcasses, they play a very important role in the ecosystem as scavengers. They also control increases in rodents and insect numbers, consuming them as prey items.
