Hello! We are not wolves and not dogs. We are Golden Jackals. Our yellowish fur got us our name. Know more about us:
- Like wolves, we are territorial and mark the territory using scents.
- Our oldest fossils are found in Greece and are 7000 years old.
- We are highly adaptive species and can bear temperatures of -35 degrees C. That’s Cold!
- Did you know? We can walk long distances. We travel 12km-15km in a single night.
- Our howl is not as famous as Wolves’ howl, but we do howl.
- We are quite famous in ancient Indian Myths and folklore. We appear as intelligent wily beasts in Jatakas and Panchatantra tales. We also appear in Mahabharata and Buddhist tales as cunning creatures.
- In ancient India, we are described as “the sharpest among the beasts, the crow among the birds, and the barber among the men”.
- In the Hindu religion, we are closely associated with goddesses Kali and Chamunda.
- We are also known for the character named “Tabaqui” in the famous book “The Jungle Book”.
- Our name “Jackal” appeared in the English Language in the 1600s and has originated from the Turkish word çakal.
SOME QUICK NOTES:
Our Scientific Name: Canis Aureus.
Our Identification: Small wolf/dog like species with yellow, black and white colored fur.
Our Habitat: Deserts, open savannas and arid grasslands.
Our range:
Our Food habits: Omnivorous; rodents, hares, birds, insects, fruits and vegetables.
Our Breeding Period: February to March.
Our Gestation Period: About 63 days.
Number of cubs born: 4 average
Lifespan: 14-16 years.
Estimated Population: more than 80,000
IUCN red list status: Least Concern
CITES: Appendix III
Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule III
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: C. aureus
COMPLETE DETAILS ABOUT US FOR ANIMAL ENTHUSIASTS:
We are subspecies called Indian golden jackal. As a whole species, we are scientifically called as Canis Aureus and the Indian subspecies are called as Canis Aureus Indicus.
HOW WE LOOK:
We are small wolf-like species with the color of our fur being mixture of black and white. We have yellowish-beige color shoulders, ears, and legs.
Our chest, belly and sides of legs are white in color. Our face has grey colored fur. Both male and female look similar.
The young pups are light grey to dark brown in color.
We have a body length of about 100cm. We are 35cm-45cm tall and weigh 8kg-11kg.
WE ARE FOUND IN:
We prefer living in habitats like deserts, open savannas and arid grasslands.
We are found mostly in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and also Burma. Our fellow subspecies are found all over in Asia, Africa and also Europe.
WHAT WE EAT:
We are omnivorous species and hunt for food. We often hunt alone and when we locate the prey, we hide and quickly approach the prey and pounce it.
We also scavenge the meat killed by other big predators like Lion, Tiger, Leopard, etc.
Our diet includes rodents, hares, birds, insects, and also fruits and vegetables. We would bury extra food to eat later.
OUR REPRODUCTION:
We are monogamous species, that means we have a single mate for all our lives. The males fight for the matured female. The breeding period is from February to March. The young pups are born in the dens which are taken over by adults from Bengal foxes or Porcupines and also can be born in abandoned dens of grey wolfs.
The gestation period is about 63 days and an average of 4 pups are born at a time. The father helps in digging the den and raising the pups. The newly born pups are moved between 2-4 dens for security against predators.
The young pups eat meat after 15-20 days and reach sexual maturity at 10-11 months (females) and 21-22 months (males). The lifespan of our species is 14-16 years.
MORE ABOUT US:
We are territorial species and use scent marking to claim territory.
We are durable species and can withstand temperatures as low as -35 °C.
We are socially active species and interact with each other by grooming and group howling.
We usually howl in the morning and evening.
OUR CONSERVATION:
We are abundantly available in our range and are thriving well. We are listed as “least concern” in the red list of IUCN, listed in CITES Appendix III and also are protected under schedule III of Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Our estimated population in India is more than 80,000 individuals.
