Zingela Safaris

Black-backed Jackals occur in a wide variety of African habitats, such as open woodlands, scrubland, savanna, and bush. They can easily adapt to different habitats. They are quite common throughout their range, and have a low risk of endangerment.

Black-backed Jackals usually live together in pairs that last for life, but often hunt in packs to catch larger prey such as impala and antelope. They are very territorial; each pair dominates a permanent territory. They are mainly nocturnal, but Black-backed Jackals come out in the day occasionally. Their predators include leopards and humans. They sometimes are killed for livestock predation or for their furs.

These jackals adapt their diets to the available food sources in their habitat. They often scaveng, but they are also successful hunters. Their omnivorous diet includes, among other things: impala, antelopes, fur seal cubs, gazelle, guinea fowl, insects, rodents, hares, lizards, snakes, fruits and berries, domestic animals such as sheep and goats, and carrion.

Black-backed Jackals have a 2-month gestation period. Each litter consists of 3-6 pups, each of which weigh 200-250 grams. At 8 months pups are old enough to leave their parents and establish territories of their own. They have a life-span of about 13 years and weigh up to 11 Kg.