Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – “2012-bb-jackal-1” by Yathin S Krishnappa – Own work. Jackals will eat almost anything, a trait that comes in very handy in the wild. Jackals that live near the coast even eat beached marine mammals, mussels, and fish. Omnivores, they eat everything from termites, spiders, and scorpions to rodents and hares to antelope ranging in size from tiny dik-dik to full-grown impala (though jackals will generally only pursue an injured or otherwise weakened animal of that size).
Different cries convey different information a fox-like cackle indicates they’re trapped, a woof means they’ve been surprised, and a yell tells family members a predator is near.īut perhaps the single greatest factor in the jackal’s success is simple: it’s just not that picky.
Closely related to dogs and wolves, black-backed jackals communicate effectively, especially among family members (black-backed jackals will answer their family member’s cries and ignore those of strangers). Of course like all families, just because they pitch in doesn’t mean young jackals always get along there’s pretty serious sibling rivalry from a young age among black-backed jackals (a prevalent species in Tanzania), and dominance hierarchies are established early, and relatively rigid.Īnother reason for their success is their relative intelligence. Parents are able to go off to hunt thanks to help from the kids older pups often care for their younger offspring (in families where this occurs, significantly more pups survive to adulthood). One of the few mammalian species that mate for life, jackals often hunt in pairs, using their speed and dexterity to “tag-team” prey.
Part of that success can be attributed to their strong familial bonds. Even today, as so many wildlife populations suffer from the effects of increased human presence and habitat destruction, jackals continue to thrive. In folk tales, they’re depicted as cunning, intelligent pranksters (and on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs and temples, even as gods) jackals have always been known for their ability to adapt themselves to any environment. Photo: Thomson Safaris guests Terry O’Neill & Linda McCormick Older pups often help raise and care for younger siblings.