Eurasian golden jackal, Common jackal, Asiatic jackal, Reed wolf
The Golden jackal (Canis aureus) is a wolf-like canid. Despite its name, the Golden jackal is not closely related to the African Black-backed jackal or Side-striped jackal, which are part of the genus Lupulella, being instead closer to wolves and coyotes. The ancestor of the Golden jackal is believed to be the extinct Arno river dog that lived in southern Europe 1.9 million years ago. It is described as having been a small, jackal-like canine. Genetic studies indicate that the Golden jackal expanded from India around 20,000 years ago, towards the end of the last Last Glacial Maximum. The oldest Golden jackal fossil, found at the Ksar Akil rock shelter near Beirut, Lebanon, is 7,600 years old. The oldest golden jackal fossils in Europe were found in Greece and are 7,000 years old.
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
Om
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...
Sc
ScavengerScavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While sc...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Cu
CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
Al
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 ...
Te
TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Vi
ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Bu
BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Pr
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...
Mo
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...
So
SocialDo
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...
No
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.
G
starts withThe Golden jackal has long, pointed ears and long hair. The coat of the animal is rather coarse and not very long. The tail is fluffy and long. Being the largest species of jackal, this animal, however, has lighter tread, shorter tail, more slender build and a narrower, more pointed muzzle, compared to other jackal species. The coloration of their fur depends on the season of year and region, varying from yellow to pale gold with a brown tip.
These jackals are widely distributed from North and East Africa to southeastern Europe and South Asia, including Burma. These animals are abundant in valleys and along rivers and their tributaries, canals, lakes, and seashores, but are rare in foothills and low mountains. They are found in dense thickets of prickly bushes, reed flood-lands, and forests. In India, they will occupy the surrounding foothills above arable areas and enter human settlements at night to feed on garbage.
Living nearby human settlements, Golden jackals are strictly nocturnal. However, those living in other areas can be partly diurnal. The main social unit of these animals is a mated pair as well as a family, consisting of a mated pair and its young. Living in pairs, the jackals share most of their activity with their partners. Their behavior is strictly synchronized: they forage, hunt, and rest together. As a matter of fact, hunting in pairs, they are three times more successful, than hunting alone. Jackal families hunt on a territory of about 2-3 sq. km. all year round. Looking for shelter, they frequently use caverns, dug by other animals. Golden jackals can also dig caverns themselves as well as use crevices in rocks. They are very friendly to their partners. Scratching one another all over their bodies is a common activity between mates. Nevertheless, once strange jackals encounter each other, their behavior shows subordination, domination, and even readiness to attack.
Golden jackals are omnivores. These opportunistic foragers have a rather diverse diet. They feed on a wide variety of animal species such as young gazelles, hares, reptiles, ground birds and their eggs, fish frogs as well as insects. The usual diet of Golden jackals also includes various fruits. During the winter months, they frequently eat rodents. In addition, they can consume carrion.
Golden jackals have a monogamous mating system with females, fiercely defending the territory from other females. Thus they try to restrict access of female intruders to the male, not sharing him and preventing his paternal investment. Usually, a jackal family contains one or two adult individuals called "helpers". These are the ones, who, reaching sexual maturity, continue living with their parents for about a year. They do not breed and help the parents in rearing the next litter. Breeding season takes place at the beginning of February or at the end of January (if the weather is warm enough), lasting about 26-28 days. After the gestation period of 63 days, the female gives birth in a den within the pair's territory. One litter can yield 1-9 babies, with an average of 2-4 pups. The female nurses the young for about 8 weeks, after which they are weaned. Females reach reproductive maturity during the first year of their lives while male jackals become reproductively mature within 2 years.
One of the serious concerns of their population is diseases. Rabies and distemper, for example, occasionally cause high numbers of mortality among these animals. On the other hand, they are hunted and persecuted as livestock predators and pests. However, the major threat is the alteration of traditional land-use practices. Some parts of their habitat are presently turning to industrial areas and agricultural lands, which leads to a reduction of cover and food shortages.
Golden jackals are common and widespread, found in large numbers throughout the area of their range. The overall number of their population is presently unknown but increasing. In India, for example, specific populations of Golden jackals are estimated to be about 80,000 individuals. On the IUCN Red List, the species is classified as Least Concern (LC).
Golden jackals are key scavengers in their home range. They consume garbage and carrion around villages and towns. Also, they control the numbers of prey populations. Thus, they benefit agriculture, feeding upon rodents and lagomorphs.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...