Overview
The jackal is a medium sized member of the dogfamily, originally found in Africa, Asia and southeast Europe. There are four main species of jackal being the Golden jackal, the Side-striped jackal, the Black-backed jackal and the Ethiopian wolf jackal. The Golden jackal is the most northernly species of jackal and can be found as far east as Burma in Southeast Asia.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Carnivora
- Family
- Canidae
- Genus
- Canis
Habitat
Moutains, savannahas, and wooded areas.
Diet
Antelope, Reptiles, Insects
Behavior
Jackals inhabit crevices in rocks and dens made by other animals in order to keep the jackals cool while they sleep. Although many jackal individuals live a nocturnal existence, particularly those jackals that inhabit areas close to humans, some jackals in more remote areas are slightly more diurnal and will be out hunting during the cooler times of the day.
Conservation Status
The Golden Jackal is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable population trend across most of its range. Major threats include habitat loss from human expansion, persecution as a pest, and road accidents.