Jackal

Jackals belong to the species of certain wolflike carnivores that are a part of the Genus of Digs. The family that jackals belong to is known as Canidae. Hence, they almost have the same family as the hyena. There are about 4 different types of jackals and their species that are recognized all over the world.

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There is the Golden Jackal or the Asiatic Jackal, the Black-Backed jackal, the side-stripped jackal, and the African golden wolf. Each one of these belongs to different parts of the world and has distinct characteristics. Here in this article, we are going to have a discussion about this animal so that students can have a better idea about the animal in the first place.

Scientific Name of Jackal

Before moving forward with the important details about the animal jackal, there is another thing that you need to know. Canis aureus is the scientific name of this particular animal. The Latin translation for the word Canis is a dog and the word aureus is golden. So, it can be said that it is the scientific name for the golden jackal. The class of the jackal is mammalian and the family is Canidae.

There are some other spices of jackals that we know about such as the side-stripped jackal and the black-backed jackal along with others. There are certain differences between these species and it is this that they have different colours and markings of their coats and tend to inhabit different parts of the world for sure.

The Appearance of a Jackal and Its Behavior

When it comes to the appearance of the jackal, there are certain things that students need to know about. The coat of a common jackal is basically a mixture of brown, gold, and yellow. There can also be some changes in the colour of the coat in the case of a jackal when there is a change in the temperature. It is seen that jackals often have lighter or darker shades of colour depending on the seasons. Sometimes the coat is thick and sometimes it is pretty thin.

Some of the important features of the jackal are that they tend to have a slim and long nose, large ears, a very bushy tail that resembles that of a fox. However, it is to be kept in mind that while foxes and jackals are closely related, there are certain differences in the animals for sure. Jackals are equipped with 4 legs that are slender in shape. Not to mention that they have a very trim body along with dark eyes that can be a great help when they need to keep a watchful eye on the surroundings.

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According to the researchers, jackals will measure up to about 16 inches in height when measured from the shoulders. Also, the weight of the jackal goes from 11 pounds to a total of 26 pounds depending on the species of the jackal for sure.

Jackals are deemed to be very fast when it comes to running. The fastest a jackal can travel is about 40mph. The animals are able to run in such short bursts and that too at exceptional speeds. Hence, they will be able to run for a longer period of time compared to the other organisms when they have slowed their speed down. Speed becomes their number one help when these animals need to hunt for food or need to protect themselves from predators.

A great thing about the colour of a jackal’s coat is that it helps the animal in properly blending with the territory that they reside in. It will not be a big deal for a particular common jackal to hide in the slightly light brown grass of the African areas. Camouflage is another important thing that jackals have for sure.

A very important thing to keep in mind about the behaviour of the jackal is that they tend to be very territorial in nature. These animals would definitely use their claws and teeth to drive the intruders away from their territory. The protection quality in jackals is pretty fierce and this is something that is also seen in the cousins of jackals such as coyotes and wolves. Jackals not only tend to protect their home but also the younger generation.

A behavioural tendency of the jackals is that they always tend to travel in groups that have members ranging from around 10 to about 30 in total. These are basically known as tribes or packs. The animals are pretty shy and avoid any sort of confrontation as well. The only time jackals tend to show any aggression is when they are threatened by a third party.

Jackals also have a very interesting method of communication as they tend to send their signals through small yips, growls, and howls. The tribe or the members of the pack have their very own unique sound that distinguishes one from another. There are different sounds made by jackals for different things. There is a sound that they make after killing prey. There is a warning call. Along with that they also have some calls that help the other understand if there is a threat nearby.

The Habitat of Jackals

After you are done learning about jackal meaning, it is time to learn about the habitat and distribution of the jackals. These animals choose certain European countries as well as African countries as their main habitat. In some parts of Africa, these jackals are quite common in the central and western parts of Nigeria, South Sudan, and Senegal as well.

Apart from that, some species of African jackals are also seen in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The type of habitat that is chosen by the jackals might be dependent on the different species of jackals that are evenly distributed around the entire world. Golden or common jackals tend to reside in deserts and savannas.

However, the side-striped jackals tend to choose wetter locations for their habitats such as bushlands, marshes, and other mountainous locations. For the black-backed jackal savannas and woodlands are the right choice of habitat. While the regions are pretty different, all of these jackals are found in different parts of Africa.

What is Included in the Diet of a Jackal?

One of the most important questions that students tend to have about the jackals is what do these animals eat as their food? When it comes to the diet of a jackal, it can be said that they are omnivores.

Hence, these animals are able to consume birds, rabbits, plants, frogs, fruits, small antelopes, snakes, and other living organisms as their food. Researchers have revealed that jackals are basically opportunistic feeders.

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It means these animals will also not hesitate to steal the leftover meat from other animals. Hence, there is no doubt that they will also take all the opportunities of looking for their meat from the leftovers. The canines tend to hunt in pairs as well. So, they need to work together in order to hunt down the prey. Apart from these characteristics, they also have pretty sharp teeth that they use to tear the flesh of the prey.

The Process of Reproduction in Jackals and Lifespan of Jackals

One interesting thing to notice about the jackals is that they tend to have just one mate for the rest of their lives. Talking about the mating season, it is considered that the months between October and March seem to fit the best time for the mating. The period of gestation is about 57-70 days in total. The period of gestation in the fighting jackal is pretty much the same as that of the coyotes as well as the foxes.

When it comes to the process of gestation, the female, as well as the male jackal, will put in combined efforts in order to build a proper underground den for their babies when they are born. There are about 4 babies born from one female at a time. The pups that are newborns don’t really have much weight as they are less than a pound. Apart from that, they are also born blind. Hence they need proper nursing and food from their mothers so that they are able to gain their strength. The mother provides the food and nutrients that are necessary for the pups.

After about 10 days, the eyes of these pups will open, and right after that, they gain their eyesight. It takes about 2 months in total for the jackal pups to consume solid food. Before that, these pups are fed the food in the form of liquids by the mother. Since these pups are really small, they tend to be quite vulnerable for the time before they get their strength.

As a result that, these baby jackals or pups are easy prey for leopards, eagles, and hyenas as well. In fact, some pups don’t even get to reach the age of 14 weeks as they turn into the prey of other animals. Hence, the mother jackal keeps on constantly moving the litter of pups from one underground den to another as a mode of protection. The constant moving from one place to another makes it really difficult for the predators to follow the scent of the pups and hence they have protected a well.

It is a really interesting thing to note that jackals tend to have a very great sense of family value. This means that the male and female jackal will care for the pups in the best way for a very long time. They even teach the pups the process of hunting when they reach the age of 6 months in total. A pup is only allowed to leave the parents after they have reached the stage of maturity at 11 months old. However, they can also choose to stay with the parents and help out by taking care of the other pups that are present in the litter.

The average lifespan of the jackals that tend to live in their natural habitat without becoming prey to other animals is about 12 years in total. However, there are some wild jackals that are often vulnerable to different ailments which might in turn reduce their lifespan for sure. For example, some jackals tend to contact rabies and hence are not able to live that long.