Jackal
Canis mesomelas
Behavior and diet
The jackal is part of the dog family and its North American counterpart is called the coyote. Four species of jackal are acknowledged: black-backed jackal, side-striped jackal, golden jackal and Ethiopian wolf jackal. The jackal is a carnivore that tends to prefer a scavenger-type diet. It is not unusual for a single jackal to spot a lion kill and to alert other members of its pack of the recent kill. Jackals are nocturnal animals and, in the absence of other animals’ kills, will hunt smaller animals such as reptiles and birds. Jackals are monogamous and females will give birth to an average of three to six young after a gestation period of two months.
Jackal photos
Leopard disturbed by a jackal
Photo taken at Ruaha National Park, Tanzania by jennyphillips Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
15 Nov 2018
Photo taken at Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, Tanzania by Experience Zanzibar Tours & Safaris Ltd Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, Tanzania
02 Oct 2019
Photo taken at Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya by Adika Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
10 Apr 2020
Jackal
Photo taken at Etosha National Park, Namibia by Sandscapes Namibia Etosha National Park, Namibia
17 Jul 2020
Jackal, close to Tandala Tented camp in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Photo taken at Ruaha National Park, Tanzania by Sven Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
28 Apr 2016
Black Back Jackal in the desert
Photo taken at Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia by Red Dune Safaris Namibia Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
30 Oct 2019
Found in these countries:
Botswana
Kenya
Malawi
Mozambique
Namibia
South Africa
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
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