Cape Black-backed Jackal
( silver-backed jackal )
- Lupulella mesomelas mesomelas
- IUCN Status: Least Concern
- Trend: stable
General Information
The Cape Black-backed Jackal is a subspecies of black-backed jackal, also called the silver-backed jackal, is a medium-sized canine native to southern Africa.
Description
The Cape black-backed jackal is a fox-like canid with a slender body, long legs, and large ears. It is similar to the closely related side-striped jackal and more distantly related to the golden jackal, though its skull and dentition are more robust and the incisors much sharper.
The base colour is reddish brown to tan, which is particularly pronounced on the flanks and legs. A black saddle intermixed with silvery hair extends from the shoulders to the base of the tail. A long, black stripe extending along the flanks separates the saddle from the rest of the body, and can be used to differentiate individuals. The tail is bushy and tipped with black. The lips, throat, chest, and inner surface of the limbs are white. The winter coat is a much deeper reddish brown. Albino specimens occasionally occur. The hair of the face measures 10–15 mm in length, and lengthens to 30–40 mm on the rump. The guard hairs of the back are 60 mm on the shoulder, decreasing to 40 mm at the base of the tail. The hairs of the tail are the longest, measuring 70 mm in length.
Fun Facts
The Cape Black-backed Jackal is an intelligent scavenger that at one point seemed to be learning to distinguish poisoned foods. They are not easy to spot as they are usually on the move scavenging for food.
Ecology & Behaviour
Black-backed jackals are active both diurnally and nocturnally, but near the outskirts of urbanization they are mainly nocturnal. When active, this species is usually out searching/scavenging for food. Normal movement is at a trot; when hunting an individual walks slowly with its ears pricked and alert. Their senses are extremely acute and well-developed, especially their senses of hearing and smell. If startled, a jackal will retreat a certain distance and then circle back in a wide arc in order to interpret the scent of the disturbance. Jackals are wary of humans and are not considered “aggressive” towards larger animals. Jackals are also cunning. They tend to be territorial and will become aggressive only to defend the boundaries of their territories. Paired adults have smaller home ranges (almost 75% smaller) than do unpaired adults who are searching for mates.
Ecology & Behaviour
Black-backed jackals are active both diurnally and nocturnally, but near the outskirts of urbanization they are mainly nocturnal. When active, this species is usually out searching/scavenging for food. Normal movement is at a trot; when hunting an individual walks slowly with its ears pricked and alert. Their senses are extremely acute and well-developed, especially their senses of hearing and smell. If startled, a jackal will retreat a certain distance and then circle back in a wide arc in order to interpret the scent of the disturbance. Jackals are wary of humans and are not considered “aggressive” towards larger animals. Jackals are also cunning. They tend to be territorial and will become aggressive only to defend the boundaries of their territories. Paired adults have smaller home ranges (almost 75% smaller) than do unpaired adults who are searching for mates.
Ecology & Behaviour
Black-backed jackals are active both diurnally and nocturnally, but near the outskirts of urbanization they are mainly nocturnal. When active, this species is usually out searching/scavenging for food. Normal movement is at a trot; when hunting an individual walks slowly with its ears pricked and alert. Their senses are extremely acute and well-developed, especially their senses of hearing and smell. If startled, a jackal will retreat a certain distance and then circle back in a wide arc in order to interpret the scent of the disturbance. Jackals are wary of humans and are not considered “aggressive” towards larger animals. Jackals are also cunning. They tend to be territorial and will become aggressive only to defend the boundaries of their territories. Paired adults have smaller home ranges (almost 75% smaller) than do unpaired adults who are searching for mates.
Distribution & Habitat
The Cape Black-backed Jackal can be found in Southern and Western province of Zambia. The habitat of the black-backed jackal is quite variable ranging from small cities and the suburbs of large cities to the Namib desert. They tend to be more common in dry areas that receive an annual rainfall of between 100-200 cm (Downs et al. 1991). These jackals are associated with open terrain and not forest or heavy brush. This species can scavenge in an area where bigger game is hunted and killed or it can feed off the remnants of human handouts. Furthermore, in the open grasslands of today, human development in the form of agriculture provides an additional source of food for this species.
Interaction with Humans
The Cape Black-backed Jackal has a long history of conflicts with human settlements such as them being hunted in retaliation for them preying on livestock and domestic animals. In folklore, many cultures depict them as the intelligent and cunning scavengers they are.
References
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- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Carnivora
- Family: Canidae
- Subfamily: Caninae
- Genus: Lupulella
- Shoulder height: 38 to 48 cm
- Length: 67.3 to 81.2 cm
- Weight: 5 to 13 kg
- Lifespan: avg. 14 yrs
