Skip to main content

Golden Jackal

Canis aureus
Meet the Golden Jackal, one of the most widespread dog species on the planet!

Jackals are usually associated with the Continent of Africa, but did you know they live in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia as well?  There are a dozen different subspecies of this canine, which is a closer relative to Grey Wolves than it is to the Black-backed and Side-striped Jackals.

Golden Jackals are amazing at adapting to their surroundings. They can live in just about any habitat (except exceptionally snowy areas) and they eat a wide variety of foods. Carrion, fruits, birds, reptiles, antelope, and insects are just a few of the different things that these dogs will consume, depending on their location and the time of year.

Their social structure also varies as much as their location and diet. Some live in only small pair groups, while others have more extended families. The territory that they keep depends on location as well. Some groups have a very small range, while others will mark off a spot that encompasses 12 square km.

Because of their large range and their adaptability, Golden Jackals have a long history with humans. They appear in the folklore and mythology of many different cultures, for example. Anubis, the Egyptian god of embalming, has the head of a Jackal. Other Jackals appear in stories from India, where they are depicted as cunning and intelligent creatures. Golden Jackals also have had run-ins with livestock, and have been hunted for sport, and for their fur.

IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Africa, Europe, and Asia
Size : Body length around 47in (125cm) , weight up to 35lbs (16kg)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Canidae -- Genus : Canis -- Species : C. aureus
Image : D. Gordon E. Robertson, , Thimindu

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent