They also hunt for prey, some of which include reptiles, ground-dwelling birds, antelopes, insects, fruits, grass, and berries. They are scavengers that eat leftovers of other animals’ kills. Jackals are omnivores, meaning they eat both vegetation and meat. Jackals hunt alone or in pairs but there some rare cases where they come together to hunt a particular carcass. Young adults may stay in the territory with their parents until they are mature enough to make their territories. They form a monogamous pair and defend their territory from other pairs by marking landmarks with their feaces and urine. Only the side-striped jackal is strictly nocturnal.
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Jackals are both nocturnal and diurnal, meaning they are mostly active at dusk, dawn, or at night. As stated by the Animal Diversity Web (ADW), jackal pairs are three times more likely to get a successful kill than a lone jackal. They also defend their territory together. Jackals that form pairs do everything together, including sleeping, eating, and hunting. Some form small groups called packs, while others live in pairs or alone. HabitsĪll species express different habits, and it has been discovered that some jackals are social animals, while others have issues relating to their specie.
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It inhabits East and North Africa as well as South Asia to Burma and southeastern Europe. It is regarded as the northernmost jackal. The golden jackal prefers a dry region, like the arid grasslands and open savannas. This region includes the marshes, savannas, mountains, and bushlands, as stated by the African Wildlife Federation (AWF). The side-striped jackal prefers a wet region, like the tropical part of Africa. It is a zone with a harsh landscape that is hard to cross. The two populations were separated by the Olduvai Gorge located in Tanzania. The other can be found along the eastern coastline, including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. There are two separate populations of black-backed jackals, and one can be found in the southern part of the continent in Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. The black-backed jackal mostly inhabits woodlands and savannas. They inhabit regions that are suitable for them. Jackals can be found in Africa but are in different locations. They are capable of maintaining a speed of 9.9 mph (16km/h) for an extended period of time.Įach species have distinguished characteristic which is denoted by their name as stated by Animal Diversity Web (ADW). They also have fused bones and large feet, which gives them an advantage during long-distance running. They possess long legs with curved and sharp canine teeth, which are used for hunting smaller mammals, reptiles, and birds. Jackals are unscrupulous omnivores and are described as proficient scavengers.
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They grow up to 70 – 85 cm (27 – 33 in) from shoulder to rump, and about 25 cm (10 in) of tail length. The three species of jackals all have the same size as domestic dogs. They can be found in the southeastern part of Europe, south Asia, western Asia, and the Middle East. They are known to be more related to wolves than jackals. The golden jackals are the most rampant of all jackals. It hunts prey twice its size and has trouble relating to others of its kind. It is very aggressive and even known to be the most aggressive among all jackals. The black-backed jackal is lightly built and considered as one of the oldest members of the genus Canis. They can be found in the central and southern parts of Africa. It is less aggressive compared to other jackals, and it preys mostly on smaller animal than large mammals. The side-striped jackal is distinct from other jackals, it inhabits wooded areas. Species Side- striped jackal (Canis adustus) Canis adustus, Canis mesomelas, and Canis aureus