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Šakal zlatý
Šakal obecný
Goldschakal
Chacal doré
Sciacallo dorato
Gewone jakhals
Gullsjakal
Guldsjakal

other names: Common jackal
length: 70-80 cm
height: 40 cm
weight: 10-12 kg
geographic range: from southern Europe and the Middle East into northern Africa
habitat: open savannas, deserts and arid grasslands
diet: omnivorous
colouring: yellow
    

Geographic range:
    They range from southern Europe and the Middle East into northern Africa.

Habitat:
    The golden jackal lives in open savannas, deserts and arid grasslands.

Physical features:
    The jackal is a medium-sized carnivore with doglike features. The body length is 70-80 cm, and its tail is about 25 cm. Its standing height is approximately about 40 cm. Weights range from 10 to 12 kg. The fur is generally coarse and not very long. Their color varies depending on age, season, geographical region, and the individual, and usually range between dirty yellow and red, with some black on the back. The back of the ears are darker and the tail is reddish with a black tip. The coat darkens in the winter. It has long pointed ears and a medium sized pointed snout.

Behaviour:
    Jackals are strictly nocturnal in areas inhabited by humans, but may be partly diurnal elsewhere. Mated pairs are territorial, and both the female and male mark and defend the boundaries of their territory.

Reproduction:
    Jackals live in monogamous mated pairs - male and female mates live together for their entire lives and raise the young together. Births take place around the year, their mating is timed to correlate with anticipation of abundance of food. The gestation period is 63 days, litter can contain one to nine pups, but two to four is the usual number. Young are completely weaned at four months, and at this time they tend to wander off, and accompany their parents on hunting trips. The females are sexually mature in less than a year, the males, closer to two years.

Food habits:
    Golden jackals are opportunistic omnivores. It feeds on anything that is edible, but prefers snakes and other reptiles, insects, ground-dwelling birds, fruits, berries and grass.
    They cooperatively hunt small or young antelopes, or often follow lions and other big cats to scavenge their kills.

Social organization:
    Golden jackals live together in pairs (together with its young) but often hunt in family troops. All of their behavior is highly synchronized, especially in cooperative hunting. Members of the family also share food item with cubs and lactating mothers.

Status:
    Golden jackal is currently not endangered species.

Cite this article as:
Marian Olejar, Jr.: Golden jackal from Olejar's Encyclopedia of Animals
Link to this page: http://www.animals.ys.sk/show_entry.php?animal=1168511884&name=Golden_jackal

kingdom:
Animalia
phylum:
Chordata
subphylum:
Vertebrata
class:
Mammalia
subclass:
Theria
order:
Carnivora
family:
Canidae
genus:
Canis
species:
Canis aureus