First documentation of golden jackal (Canis aureus) reproduction in Germany

Mammal Research - The golden jackal (Canis aureus), a mesocarnivore, is currently expanding from eastern towards western Europe. Reproduction of the species could be confirmed in several areas in...     

Winter diet composition of the golden jackal (Canis aureus L., 1758) in Serbia

The winter diet composition of golden jackals was determined by analysing the stomach contents of 248 specimens collected between December and February 2005–2009 at six localities in Serbia. The average weight of stomach contents was 189.9 ± 137.3 g. At all localities, livestock carcasses were the primary food category (frequency 56.1%, biomass 77.7%). The secondary food category consisted of small mammals taken as live prey (frequency 20.7%, biomass 5.2%). Other food categories were present less frequently (roe deer, wild boar, hare, and birds), and rarely (plant material, dogs, carnivores, lizards, and inedible inorganic material). No statistically significant differences were found in diet between jackals from different localities. The only difference was found between yearlings and adults with regard to the consumed biomass (%B). The analysis of the winter diet of golden jackals in Serbia indicates that the species has opportunistic feeding habits consisting primarily of easily accessible food sources.     

Population densities and habitat use of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in farmlands across the Balkan Peninsula

The main objective of this study was to analyze the habitat use and population densities of the golden jackal in four countries across lowland regions of the Balkan Peninsula, known as the core area of the species' distribution in Europe. Using indirect (acoustic) method for detecting territorial golden jackals, we surveyed jackal presence and densities on 331 monitoring sites in four countries, covering area an of 4,296 km² in total during April and May 2007–2012. We used GIS to assess landscape and environmental characteristics in a 2-km circular buffer (12.6 km²) around calling stations. Average population density of golden jackals in the study areas ranged between 0.6 and 1.1 territorial groups/10 km² (mean ± SE, 0.6?±?0.06 groups/10 km²), with several high-density areas with up to 4.8 territorial groups/10 km². Analysis of habitat use showed that for both jackal occurrence and number of jackal groups, the only significant parameter was the interaction between country and intensity of agriculture, indicating that jackals adapt their habitat selection patterns in relation to the habitat availability. We observed that selection of the more suitable habitats (shrub–herbaceous vegetation/heterogeneous agricultural vegetation) increased with lower proportion of these habitat types in the study area. Our study confirms high habitat plasticity of the golden jackal and offers explanation for its recent range expansion, which might be connected with the land use changes during the last decades in the Balkan Peninsula.     

西藏吉隆县发现亚洲胡狼

During a field expedition on the southern slope of Himalayas, we photographed a golden jackal at the Alpine meadow and scrubland (85°24’27″E, 28°23’32″N, elevation 3400 m) in Jilong County, Tibet, on July 7, 2018. This is the first confirmed field record of golden jackal (Canis aureus) in China, and also a new occurrence record to its global distribution. Further research is needed to determine its population and distribution status along the China-Nepal borders and the adjacent areas.     

Golden jackal (Canis aureus L.) diet in Southern Greece

The diet of jackals was studied in the Mediterranean lowlands of Fokida and Samos island, Greece, by analyzing 127 scats collected between January 2002 and May 2003. Across all seasons frequencies of food items show that the most common items were mammals (frequency 42.7%, biomass 69.8%) and birds (12.0%, biomass 27.7%). Although the frequencies of plant material (27.3%) and insects (18.0%) were quite high, their biomass contribution was low (1.7%, 0.8% respectively). Most of the biomass consumed composed of mammals of domestic livestock origin (55.9%) which were presumably scavenged. This reveals the importance of this food item to the opportunistic jackals in wildlife-poor ecosystems like the anthropogenic Mediterranean lowlands. The occurrence of small mammals in the scats was very low while very few traces of grass and human refuse (such as leftovers of meals, plastic, pieces of paper etc.) were found in the diet of jackals. Furthermore, the findings support the opportunistic nature of a species capable to exploit any easily available food source.     

Substantial functional diversity accompanies limited major histocompatibility complex class II variability in golden jackal (Canis aureus): A comparison between two wild Canis species in Croatia

The golden jackal (Canis aureus) is one of the less studied carnivores and research on its major histocompatibility complex (MHC) variability is just at its early stages. MHC genes encode cell-surface receptors that serve to bind and present antigens to T cells, which is essential to initiating specific immunological responses in vertebrates. In this paper we present for the first time patterns of genetic diversity and natural selection on MHC class II DLA-DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1 loci in the golden jackal using samples from two geographically distinct regions in Croatia and further compare them to the values found in its congener grey wolf (Canis lupus). Diversity of golden jackals at all three loci was markedly lower than that of grey wolves (allelic richness values were 4, 2 and 3 in jackal versus 11.9, 6.6 and 10.2 in wolves for DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1, respectively) and can be attributed to a genetic drift rather than to the lack of historical positive selection. The finding of high evolutionary distances (16.3% for DRB1 and 8.5% for DQB1) and a substantial number of codons predicted to be under the influence of positive selection (11 for DRB1 and 9 for DQB1) suggests that the investigated golden jackal population still contains considerable functional diversity necessary for the presentation of varied foreign peptides. In contrast to neutral genetic variation, our results suggest that the Dalmatian population has a higher MHC diversity than the Slavonian population, casting doubt on its supposed isolation and calling for a more extensive investigation of the MHC variability of southern Balkan jackal populations.     

The cryptic African wolf: Canis aureus lupaster is not a golden jackal and is not endemic to Egypt

The Egyptian jackal (Canis aureus lupaster) has hitherto been considered a large, rare subspecies of the golden jackal (C. aureus). It has maintained its taxonomical status to date, despite studies demonstrating morphological similarities to the grey wolf (C. lupus). We have analyzed 2055 bp of mitochondrial DNA from C. a. lupaster and investigated the similarity to C. aureus and C. lupus. Through phylogenetic comparison with all wild wolf-like canids (based on 726 bp of the Cytochrome b gene) we conclusively (100% bootstrap support) place the Egyptian jackal within the grey wolf species complex, together with the Holarctic wolf, the Indian wolf and the Himalayan wolf. Like the two latter taxa, C. a. lupaster seems to represent an ancient wolf lineage which most likely colonized Africa prior to the northern hemisphere radiation. We thus refer to C. a. lupaster as the African wolf. Furthermore, we have detected C. a. lupaster individuals at two localities in the Ethiopian highlands, extending the distribution by at least 2,500 km southeast. The only grey wolf species to inhabit the African continent is a cryptic species for which the conservation status urgently needs assessment.     

From the Balkan towards Western Europe: Range expansion of the golden jackal (Canis aureus)—A climatic niche modeling approach

In recent decades, a rapid range expansion of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) towards Northern and Western Europe has been observed. The golden jackal is a medium‐sized canid, with a broad and flexible diet. Almost 200 different parasite species have been reported worldwide from C. aureus, including many parasites that are shared with dogs and cats and parasite species of public health concern. As parasites may follow the range shifts of their host, the range expansion of the golden jackal could be accompanied by changes in the parasite fauna in the new ecosystems. In the new distribution area, the golden jackal could affect ecosystem equilibrium, e.g., through changed competition situations or predation pressure. In a niche modeling approach, we project the future climatic habitat suitability of the golden jackal in Europe in the context of whether climatic changes promote range expansion. We use an ensemble forecast based on six presence‐absence algorithms to estimate the climatic suitability of C. aureus for different time periods up to the year 2100 considering different IPCC scenarios on future development. As predictor variables, we used six bioclimatic variables provided by worldclim. Our results clearly indicate that areas with climatic conditions analogous to those of the current core distribution area of the golden jackal in Europe will strongly expand towards the north and the west in future decades. Thus, the observed range expansion may be favored by climate change. The occurrence of stable populations can be expected in Central Europe. With regard to biodiversity and public health concerns, the population and range dynamics of the golden jackal should be surveyed. Correlative niche models provide a useful and frequently applied tool for this purpose. The results can help to make monitoring more efficient by identifying areas with suitable habitat and thus a higher probability of occurrence.     

Current status and distribution of golden jackals Canis aureus in Europe

• 1 The golden jackal Canis aureus is one of the most widespread canid species with a range covering areas of central, eastern and southern Europe, northern Africa and parts of Asia. Distribution of the golden jackal in Europe has been dynamic, including dramatic declines (until the 1960s), recovery (1960s and 1970s) and expansion (from the early 1980s onwards).
• 2 We present up‐to‐date information on golden jackal status in Europe and range expansion.
• 3 For data collection we reviewed the scientific literature and contacted scientists from the relevant countries. We distinguished between vagrant animals and established populations.
• 4 In the last decade, there has been an increase in jackal records in areas where the species has not been reported before. Increased presence is recorded northwards and westwards of the distribution range of the golden jackal, specifically in Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia. In Austria, the first case of reproduction was confirmed in 2007; reproduction has also recently been reported in Italy.
• 5 Results indicate an ongoing expansion in Europe's jackal population, with a particular spread of the Balkan populations towards central Europe. Although there are numerous reports of sightings, only few originate from confirmed sources and in many areas status is unknown or vague. There is a general lack of ecological data and almost no information on ecological consequences associated with the golden jackal expansion.

     

Genetic structure and expansion of golden jackals (Canis aureus) in the north-western distribution range (Croatia and eastern Italian Alps)

The golden jackal, widely distributed in Europe, Asia and Africa, is one of the less studied carnivores in the world and the genetic structure of the European populations is unknown. In the last century jackals strongly declined mainly due to human persecution, but recently they expanded again in eastern Europe. With the aim to determine the genetic structure and the origin of expanding jackals, we analyzed population samples obtained from Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia (Dalmatia and Slavonia) and individuals sampled in north-eastern Italy. Samples were typed at the hypervariable part of the mitochondrial DNA control-region (mtDNA CR1) and at 15 canine autosomal microsatellite loci (STR), and analyzed using multivariate, Bayesian and landscape genetic methods. The mtDNA CR1 was monomorphic, showing a single haplotype shared among all the populations. The STR loci were variable, with 2–14 alleles and intermediate values of heterozygosity (Ho = 0.47; He = 0.51). Genetic diversity was significantly partitioned (θ_ST = 0.07; P < 0.001) and the populations were partially distinct, perhaps in consequence of recent fragmentations. Jackals from Dalmatia were the most genetically differentiated. Assignment testing and gene flow analyses suggested that jackals colonizing Italy have admixed origins from Dalmatian and Slavonian populations. They are not first generation migrants, suggesting that dispersal towards north-eastern Italy is a stepping-stone process. Golden jackal and wolf colonization patterns might be different, with prevalent short-distance dispersal in jackals versus prevalent long distance dispersal in wolves. The admixed origin of jackals in the Alps ensures abundant genetic variability, which may enhance adaptive fitness and expectancy of population growth. The intersections between Dinaric–Balkan and Eastern Alps are areas of population expansion and admixture, highlighting their conservation, ecological and evolutionary values.     

Phylogeography of the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) in India

The golden jackal (Canis aureus) is one of the most common and widely distributed carnivores in India but phylogeographic studies on the species have been limited across its range. Recent studies have observed absence of mitochondrial (mt) DNA diversity in European populations while some North African populations of golden jackal were found to carry gray wolf (Canis lupus lupaster) mtDNA lineages. In the present study, we sequenced 440 basepairs (bp) of control region (CR) and 412 bp of cytochrome b (cyt b) gene of mtDNA from 62 golden jackals sampled from India (n = 55), Israel (n = 2) and Bulgaria (n = 5), to obtain a total of eighteen haplotypes, comprising sixteen from India and one each from Israel and Bulgaria. Except for three previously described haplotypes represented by one cyt b and one CR haplotype both from India, and one CR haplotype from Bulgaria, all haplotypes identified in this study are new. Genetic diversity was high in golden jackals compared to that reported for other canids in India. Unlike the paraphyletic status of African conspecifics with the gray wolf, the Indian (and other Eurasian) golden jackal clustered in a distinct but shallow monophyletic clade, displaying no evidence of admixture with sympatric and related gray wolf and domestic dog clades in the region. Phylogeographic analyses indicated no clear pattern of genetic structuring of the golden jackal haplotypes and the median joining network revealed a star-shaped polytomy indicative of recent expansion of the species from India. Indian haplotypes were observed to be interior and thus ancestral compared to haplotypes from Europe and Israel, which were peripheral and hence more derived. Molecular tests for demographic expansion confirmed a recent event of expansion of golden jackals in the Indian subcontinent, which can be traced back ~ 37,000 years ago during the late Pleistocene. Our results suggest that golden jackals have had a potentially longer evolutionary history in India than in other parts of the world, although further sampling from Africa, the Middle East and south-east Asia is needed to test this hypothesis.     

Prey of coastal black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas (Mammalia: Canidae) in the Skeleton Coast Park, Namibia

Remains of prey of black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas from 13 jackal middens situated within 25 m of the beach, which provides the most regular source of food, and one 1.3 km inland in the Skeleton Coast Park, Namibia, were examined. Middens accumulate on small sand hummocks which provide shelter from prevailing harsh environmental conditions. Canis mesomelas is shown to rely on marine resources. A total of 30 taxa was recorded. Birds were the most common prey individuals represented in the combined samples (68%), followed by mammals (17%) and fish (15%). One invertebrate was recorded. At the inland site, which is located at a colony of whitebreasted cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo , this species alone formed 78% of the total individuals. Surveys were conducted to determine the extent to which C. mesomelas is unselective in scavenging beached seabird carcasses and the results were compared with data on roosting habits. There was good correlation between both these sets of data and the contents of the jackal middens, thereby indicating that C. mesomelas is unselective in its foraging/scavenging. The drop in the jackass penguin population was also evident when middens of different ages were compared. It was shown that the data from jackal middens provide an index of seabird mortality which reflects changes in the oceanic and climatic conditions which affect fish populations. Regular monitoring of jackal middens may provide an easily accessible source of information on long- and short-term changes in fish stocks.     

Spatial ecology of golden jackal in farmland in the Ethiopian Highlands

The spatial ecology of golden jackal Canis aureus was studied on farmland adjacent to the Bale Mountains National Park in southern Ethiopia during 1998–2000. Three adult and four subadult jackals were captured in leg‐hold traps and radiotagged. The range size of the adult jackals varied from 7.9 to 48.2 km² and the subadults from 24.2 to 64.8 km² . These ranges are the largest recorded for this species. Range overlap of the tagged jackals averaged 54%, which, in conjunction with observations of associations between individuals, suggested that all the tagged jackals belonged to one social group. Tagged jackals were observed alone on 87% of occasions despite the extensive overlap in individual ranges. Pairs consisting of a male and female were the most commonly observed group and larger groups were seen on only five occasions. Jackals in this population appeared less gregarious than observed elsewhere. The jackals used all the habitats available to them, particularly at night when they foraged in Artemesia and Hypericum bush and farmland. During the day they were more frequently found in Hagenia and Juniper woodland and their diurnal resting sites were characterized by thick cover. This is the first detailed study of golden jackals in a human‐modified landscape in Africa and further demonstrates the flexibility in behaviour and ecology exhibited by this species throughout its range.