Jackal

jackal, name for several Old World carnivorous mammals of the genus Canis, which also includes the dog and the wolf. Jackals are found in Africa and S Asia, where they inhabit deserts, grasslands, and brush country. They are similar in size to the North American prairie wolf, or coyote, and like the coyote, they howl and yap before the evening hunt. Renowned as scavengers, jackals also hunt small animals such as rodents and gazelle fawns. Pairs generally mate for life; they forage by night and spend the day in holes or with a litter hidden in brush. The black-backed jackal, Canis mesomelas, the simian jackal, C. simensis, and the side-striped jackal, C. adustus, are found only in Africa; they are territorial and form complex social groups. The golden, or Asian, jackal, C. aureus, is found in S Asia and parts of N Africa; they usually hunt in small packs. Jackals are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Carnivora, family Canidae.

Bibliography

See J. L. Gittleman, Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution (1989).

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jackal

Black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas).

(credit: Leonard Lee Rue III)

Any of three canine species of the genus Canis. They inhabit open country and live alone, in pairs, or in packs. They hunt at night, feeding on small animals, plant material, or carrion. A pack can bring down larger prey. The golden, or Asiatic, jackal (yellowish) is found from eastern Europe and North Africa to South Asia. The black-backed jackal (rusty red with a black back) and side-striped jackal (grayish with a white-tipped tail and an indistinct stripe on each side) are found in southern and eastern Africa. Jackals are 34–37 in. (85–95 cm) long, including the 12–14-in. (30–35-cm) tail, and weigh 15–24 lbs (7–11 kg).

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jackal

any of several African or S Asian canine mammals of the genus Canis, closely related to the dog, having long legs and pointed ears and muzzle: predators and carrion-eaters

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jackal [′jak·əl]

(vertebrate zoology)

Canis aureus.A wild dog found in southeastern Europe, southern Asia, and northern Africa.

Any of various similar Old World wild dogs; they resemble wolves but are smaller and more yellowish.

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jackal

outwits the tiger; imprisons him. [Hindu Folklore: Mercatante, 55]

See : Cunning

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Jackal

(Canis aureus), also Indian jackal, Oriental jackal, or common jackal, a predatory mammal of the family Canidae. The jackal resembles a wolf but is much smaller and has a shorter tail and more pointed muzzle. The body measures 71–82 cm in length, and the tail, about 20 cm. The fur is reddish brown to gray in the winter and reddish brown in the summer.

The jackal is distributed in southern Europe, North Africa, and southern Asia and on the island of Sri Lanka. In the USSR it is found in the Caucasus and Middle Asia; sometimes it occurs in Moldavia. The jackal usually inhabits lowlands and dense thickets along rivers and lakes; more rarely it inhabits deserts and foothills. It is often found near populated areas. It lives in dens. The diet includes rodents, birds, carrion, garbage, and fruits. Mating occurs in January. The female gives birth to four to nine pups, usually in the den. Sexual maturity is attained in the second year of life. Primarily a nocturnal animal, the jackal has a particularly loud howl.

The jackal has little commercial importance; the hide is of little value. The jackal is somewhat harmful to the hunting trade and poultry farming.