Silver-backed jackal
The Black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) is a medium-sized canine native to eastern and southern Africa. These regions are separated by roughly 900 kilometers. Compared to other members of the genus Canis, the Black-backed jackal is a very ancient species and has changed little since the Pleistocene, being the most basal wolf-like canine, alongside the closely related Side-striped jackal.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Black-backed jackal is a fox-like canid with a slender body, long legs, and large ears. The base color is reddish brown to tan, which is particularly pronounced on the flanks and legs. A black saddle intermixed with silvery hair extends from the shoulders to the base of the tail. A long, black stripe extending along the flanks separates the saddle from the rest of the body and can be used to differentiate individuals. The tail is bushy and tipped with black. The lips, throat, chest, and inner surface of the limbs are white. The winter coat is a much deeper reddish brown. Albino specimens occasionally occur.
Black-backed jackals can be found in diverse habitats, living in coastal areas, deserts, and mountains. They prefer dry areas, avoiding wetlands and swamps. The area of their distribution includes 2 regions of Africa. These are the eastern part of the continent, reaching certain regions of Malawi and Somalia, and the southern part of Africa, including southern Angola.
Black-backed jackals are very resourceful and extremely adaptable animals. They are not aggressive towards larger animals and avoid humans. They are both diurnal and nocturnal, though near urban areas they are usually nocturnal. They spend a lot of time looking for food. Black-backed jackals are social animals, living in pairs and family groups. They are territorial animals, fiercely and aggressively defending their home range. Usually, unpaired adults, who are looking for mates, have larger home ranges than paired adults. Black-backed jackals communicate, using scent marking and vocalization. They communicate with each other by means of growling, woofing, howling, and yelping sounds.
Black-backed jackals are omnivores. Their diet includes carrion, domestic livestock, rodents, gazelle, hares, young ungulates, lizards, birds, insects as well as fruit and berries. In addition, jackals living in the southern part of Africa can also eat cubs of fur seals.
Black-backed jackals are monogamous, living together until one of the mates dies. Mating once in a lifetime, they are very selective about their choice. A pair of Black-backed jackals is a strong social unit: they closely cooperate, building shelter and finding food together. The mating period is May-August with the gestation period, lasting 60-65 days. The female gives birth to 3-6 pups, usually in an abandoned burrow of aardvark. Over the following 3 weeks, the female is constantly with its pups, protecting them, while the male provides them with food. When the pups are 1 month old, the parents start feeding them by regurgitating food. At the age of 3 months, the youngster is weaned and after another 3-5 months it leaves to find its own territory. Reproductive maturity is reached at the age of 11 months.
Human is the major threat to this species’ population. These animals are considered to be vermin because of preying on sheep and young goats. Therefore people persecute them and catch them in snares to protect their livestock. On the other hand, road accidents lead to the sharp decline of the Black-backed jackals’ population.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Black-backed jackal total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
The Black-backed jackal plays a vital role in the ecosystem of its habitat. In some regions, where larger predators have been eliminated, the jackals have become dominant predators of the area. They choose prey according to their own size, catching sick or weak antelopes and thus maintaining the health of the ecosystem. In addition, the jackals scavenge, when there are carcasses.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...