26/06/2018
Photo by Ameya Shetye
Golden jackal (canis aureus) spotted at bandhavgarh national park
The Golden Jackal is an opportunistic feeder with a diet which consists of 54% animal food and 46% plant food. It is a very capable hunter of small to medium sized prey such as rabbits, rodents, birds, insects, fish and monkeys. The Golden Jackal uses its highly acute hearing to identify small prey hiding in vegetation. It has been observed to hunt ungulates 4–5 times its body weight, though it will more commonly target young specimens. While in India, the Golden Jackal often kills Blackbuck calves. Although it is common for jackals to hunt alone, they do occasionally do so in small groups, usually consisting of 2-5 individuals. Working in a pack greatly increases the chances of making a successful kill. During the harvest season in India, the jackal feeds predominantly on fruits.
Golden Jackal will scavenge given the opportunity, and will steal from the kills of other carnivores such as lions and tigers, usually waiting for the larger predators to leave before feeding themselves. Groups of 5–18 jackals have been seen frequenting large ungulate carcasses. Jackals living in some parts of India and Bangladesh will subside primarily on carrion and garbage.