Common jackal - description, habitat, lifestyle

Jackals are ranked as a dog family and are considered predators. They are similar to their relatives, but differ in some habits and ways to get food. If we compare the represented individuals, for example, with wolves, we can distinguish their smaller overall features. Jackals attack birds and small mammals, however, they can periodically attack sick animals. A distinctive feature of jackals can be considered their style of hiding, waiting for the victim, then sharply rush at her.

Description

1. Mammals are ranked as predators of medium-sized characteristics. They belong to the canine or canine family. Included in the genus of wolves. Jackals have distinctive features. Among them, the head of a wedge-shaped format, not too massive, with a pointed muzzle.
2. The skull can be up to 18 cm in length.Fangs strong, medium and sharp. They are not too thin, but adapted for the extraction of food. Eyes turn brown, can be dark or light. The ears are erect, placed at a certain distance, with blunt edges.
3. It makes sense to touch on the color of the animal. It all depends on what region it lives in, what it feeds on, what particular species it is. In the summer, coarse fur is short and short, in winter it becomes soft and fluffy.

Species

The individuals of the family under discussion are classified as medium-sized. They differ from each other, because there are many varieties. Accordingly, the external data of mammals also vary. But the similarities are common to all - jackals resemble mongrel yard dogs.

1. Ordinary. Not too overall animal, according to external characteristics it resembles a wolf, its reduced copy. The length of the body, with the exception of the tail, is drawn up to 80 cm. Maximum. Adult representatives of the pack at the withers do not grow more than 50 cm. As for the weight category, animals make up by weight 9 kg. average.Pigmented with a gray tone, there may be red blotches. Often gray is combined with yellowish or fawn. The dorsal and lateral parts of the body are painted darker, the abdominal section with the neck is bright and yellowed.
2. Striped. Muzzle shortened and extended, the distinctive characteristic is the special coloring of the body. Due to this, the variety got its name. On the side sections there are strips, they are lightened and uniform in pigmentation. The upper part of the body is colored brown-gray, the tail has a white tip, and the color of the tail itself is dark. Striped jackals have the strongest and thickest fangs that leave wounds on the body of the victim. The muzzle and the anal area are endowed with special glands that emit a specific odor.
3. Black out A distinctive feature of this type of animals is considered to be their gray-red coloring, which may be accompanied by the presence of darkened stripes in the back area. It is this pattern that forms the so-called cheprak, which extends down to the tail section. This is a crap and served as the basis for naming a variety.As for the overall data, individuals grow up to 80 cm along the body, and their tail has a length of about 30 cm. The height at the withers varies between 45-55 cm. Body weight is also impressive and is 13 kg.
4. Ethiopian. The animal is distinguished by overly elongated limbs and the same muzzle. External data are similar to the characteristics of other members of the family, but only partially. By coloring these jackals are red, dark. They may have lightened or white markings on the neck, chest, internal parts of the paws. Some representatives of the species are characterized by the presence of specks on other sections of the hull. The upper zone of the tail, as well as the area behind the ears, are colored dark, almost black. Males grow by weight up to 16 kg., Females are slightly less, their weight varies within 12 kg. Jackals reach a height of 63 cm in height at the shoulders.

Lifestyle

1. The main characteristic of these individuals is that they prefer to stay awake mostly at night. Each married couple chooses and wins a separate territory from the confreres for hunting. Usually the plot is large. The nature of the dogs is rather incredulous, they do not like people and strangers, lead a hidden lifestyle.
2. Animals of an ordinary species do not wander from place to place, preferring to be constantly in one territory. These animals are not subject to seasonal migrations, learn to adapt to the surrounding places and look for food where they are. In some cases, on harsh days, they can go very far from their places of residence. There they search for food, they can attack livestock, eat carrion and hunt wounded hoofed animals.
3. Members of the canine family of the Ethiopian variety love to hunt. They are clever, clever, clever. They may accompany a pregnant horse or a cow until she gives birth. After the baby is born, jackals regale on the placenta left. This type of monogamous and territorial, is hostile to any individuals who came to the designated area.
4. Representatives of the black-clad variety are perhaps the most contact and gullible. It is they who are more inclined to be peaceful towards people, so they can communicate with a person without harming him. Some even adapted to maintain such jackals at home, teaching them all the necessary habits.
5. All young animals, regardless of the variety, do not leave their native places after their birth. The younger generation enters the flocks, consisting of about 5-8 individuals. In some separate zones in the pack there are many males. This is due to the fact that females have a habit of leaving their homes and going to other areas.

Habitat

1. Striped jackals are common in Africa, more precisely in its central and southern parts. In this area, individuals prefer to settle near the person, they are also present in the savannas and semi-desert zones. Of course, in these places there are other species, but striped are found most often. Sometimes they have a belly side by side with their relatives of other species. In South Africa, common jackals are common, they are located near Namibia.
2. As for the common individuals, representatives of this species live in many climatic regions and regions. They love thickets, reeds, zones near water sources, as well as abandoned canals and coppices. Mammals ascend up to 2.5 km to the highlands. upwards.In the foothill areas are less common.
3. A distinctive feature of individuals is their ability to tolerate high air temperatures. They live at 35 degrees, not feeling discomfort. On the other hand, these individuals are categorically not adapted to make movements in the snow, and especially ice. They move along the paths trodden by other creatures.

Diet

1. It should be noted that the individuals in question feed mainly on small mammals and various fruits. Sometimes jackals feed on all sorts of insects. The biggest prey that the animals in question can hunt is a hare.
2. Striped jackals differ from other relatives by the fact that there is a minimal amount of carrion in their diet. Such animals still prefer live food and insects.
3. As for ordinary jackals, in this case such animals eat everything that they have to. They begin to show the greatest activity just at dusk. It is in this case that carrion in the basis of such jackals includes carrion.
4. In addition, adult individuals constantly actively hunt small animals and birds, feed on lizards, frogs, snails, snakes, larvae and insects.Not far from water bodies, jackals often feed on frozen fish. In winter, predators attack waterfowl.
5. Often, the represented individuals go hunting alone. Sometimes they can do it in pairs. In this case, the first will drive the victim, the second will kill her. It is worth noting that jackals jump very high, so they often catch a bird in a jump. Carrion such animals are eaten with vultures.
6. Often the victims of jackals are precisely Turaci and pheasants. In addition, adults considered individuals actively and in large quantities eat various fruits and berries. When jackals lodge nearby with the person, the animal has an opportunity to eat various garbage waste. Therefore, predators can often be observed at landfills.
7. It is worth noting that the animals represented have a loud voice and cry. Just before you go hunting, jackals emit a characteristic howl. It is somewhat like a whining and high cry. At this point, such a howl is picked up by the other relatives across the county.
8. We should also mention the Ethiopian jackal. The basis of the diet of such animals are mainly rodents.Such predators very actively hunt for big blind men and other equally large representatives from this family.
9. In addition, Ethiopian jackals often attack different types of mice and rats. In addition, predators in question prey on antelope and hare cubs. During the hunt, jackals track their prey in the open. As for livestock, jackals attack it extremely rarely.

Breeding

1. The breeding season of jackals can vary greatly due to the fact of depending on the terrain they inhabit. After mating, the female bears offspring for about 2 months. Most often in the rainy season 4 babies are born.
2. The considered individuals equip their homes in the old burrows of aard dwells or termite mounds. It is often possible to observe that before giving birth the female independently digs a hole for herself and completely equips her. The male does not take part in this.
3. As soon as the puppies are born, for the first few days the male constantly brings food to the burrow in order to feed the female. She, in turn, feeds babies with milk.The lactation period for the considered individuals lasts about 10 days. After that, the male and female begin to hunt and raise offspring together.
4. Striped jackals are monogamous and after forming a pair, they continue to live this way all their life. The same applies to ordinary representatives of this species. Only in this case, the male independently equips the hole for a long time, before the female is ready for delivery.
5. In ordinary jackals, most often the mating season occurs at the end of winter or early spring. When the males start rushing, they constantly howl and loudly howl. Pregnancy also lasts about 2 months. As a result, young animals appear before the onset of summer. The female gives birth in an equipped burrow, which is located in an impassable place.
6. Young animals continue to feed on breast milk for 3 months. But it is worth noting an interesting fact, already at the age of 3 weeks, the female begins to give the puppies another food. She chews and swallows her. Then spit up the youngsters. As soon as autumn comes, puppies are already becoming completely independent. They begin to hunt prey. Most often, they do it alone.

It is worth noting that, regardless of the species, jackals have enough natural enemies. The greatest danger for them is represented by almost any predators, which are slightly larger and stronger than the individuals in question. Most often wolves hunt for jackals if their habitat is in contact. If the presented animals live near people, even yard dogs can tear off jackals.

Video: common jackal (Canis aureus)