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Animal Magic is now home to two black backed jackal pups! These mischievous little
angels were born at a zoo in Pennsylvania and settled into their new home at the Animal
Magic sanctuary on February 26th. They are two of only six known bottle fed captive born
and bred jackal pups in the entire U.S.! Unless fans come up with a better name, we're
considering "Jackal and Hyde." Attend a performance or hire us for one of your own and
see these incredible babies up close and personal!
DESCRIPTION
The black-backed jackal is a much smaller predator than the Hyena, weighing only around
18-35 pounds. The black backed jackal takes its name from the prominent "saddle" on its
back which is black with some white as well. They are also known as silver-backed
jackals. The chest and underside are white with the rest of the body being a reddish-brown
color. The ears are fairly large and prominent.
BEHAVIOUR
Black-backed Jackals are mainly Diurnal (active during the day), but are also active at
night. Male and female jackals mate for life and hunt, scent mark and defend their territory
together, except for when the female is raising new pups in the den, when the male is left to
hunt and defend the territory alone. When hunting in long grass the jackals good hearing
allows them to locate prey before pouncing.
The black backed jackals dens are often disused aardvark burrows or crevices in rocks.
The main predators of the black backed jackal are lions, wolves, leopards and humans.
PREY
Black-backed Jackals scavenge, but also hunts and kills its own food. They prey on
smaller mammals such as hares, rodents and small antelope as well as the young of larger
antelopes. On the skeleton coast, Black Backed Jackals prey mainly on seals - particularly
seal pups but also adult seals when food is scarce. Black backed Jackals will also kill and
eat sheep and goats - which had lead to farmers persecuting jackals to try and avoid
livestock losses. Jackals will also eat snakes, beetles, crickets, spiders and fruit when
food is scarce. A pair of male and female jackal will often hunt together which significantly
increases the chance of the hunt being successful than if the hunt is undertaken by a single
Jackal.
REPRODUCTION
Black-backed Jackals start breeding at 1-2 years of age, and reproduce annually with
pups being born in the dry season (in Namibia this is typically October). The black backed
jackal has a gestation period of around 64 days. The vixens (females) typically give birth to
between 4 and 7 pups, with up to 10 being born in a litter on some occasions. A baby
black-backed jackal is called a 'pup'. A black-backed jackal group is called a 'pack'. The
pups are helpless at birth and remain in the burrow being cared for by the mother while the
father hunts for food, either alone or with help from the previous litter of cubs who are now
sub-adults. After around 3 weeks the pups start eating meat regurgitated by the parents,
but they are not fully weaned till they are around 10 weeks old. At age 3-4 months, the
pups start exploring the area around the den and gradually expanding to explore wider
areas, and start learning to hunt. By the time they are 6 months old they are able to hunt
well but still remain with the parents who feed, groom and play with them. At 6-8 months
old some of the pups will leave the family unit to find a territory of their own, while some of
the other pups will remain till they are 18 months or 2 years old and will become sub-adult
helpers who help their parents raise the next litter of pups.
DISEASE
Jackals can carry rabies and their close family units plus their aggressive response to
intruders means that rabies is easily spread through the Jackal population. Jackals are
responsible for a significant percentage (20-30%) of recorded rabies cases in Africa.
Jackals can also carry Canine Distemper Virus, and Canine parvovirus - diseases that
also affect lions and African wild dogs, and which can be transmitted to domestic animals.
This risk of disease transmission is another reason why Jackals are disliked and
persecuted by many farmers.
DISTRIBUTION
Black-backed Jackals are found in two distinct areas - one in Southern Africa, which
includes South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Southern Angola, and the
other in East Africa including Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.
angels were born at a zoo in Pennsylvania and settled into their new home at the Animal
Magic sanctuary on February 26th. They are two of only six known bottle fed captive born
and bred jackal pups in the entire U.S.! Unless fans come up with a better name, we're
considering "Jackal and Hyde." Attend a performance or hire us for one of your own and
see these incredible babies up close and personal!
DESCRIPTION
The black-backed jackal is a much smaller predator than the Hyena, weighing only around
18-35 pounds. The black backed jackal takes its name from the prominent "saddle" on its
back which is black with some white as well. They are also known as silver-backed
jackals. The chest and underside are white with the rest of the body being a reddish-brown
color. The ears are fairly large and prominent.
BEHAVIOUR
Black-backed Jackals are mainly Diurnal (active during the day), but are also active at
night. Male and female jackals mate for life and hunt, scent mark and defend their territory
together, except for when the female is raising new pups in the den, when the male is left to
hunt and defend the territory alone. When hunting in long grass the jackals good hearing
allows them to locate prey before pouncing.
The black backed jackals dens are often disused aardvark burrows or crevices in rocks.
The main predators of the black backed jackal are lions, wolves, leopards and humans.
PREY
Black-backed Jackals scavenge, but also hunts and kills its own food. They prey on
smaller mammals such as hares, rodents and small antelope as well as the young of larger
antelopes. On the skeleton coast, Black Backed Jackals prey mainly on seals - particularly
seal pups but also adult seals when food is scarce. Black backed Jackals will also kill and
eat sheep and goats - which had lead to farmers persecuting jackals to try and avoid
livestock losses. Jackals will also eat snakes, beetles, crickets, spiders and fruit when
food is scarce. A pair of male and female jackal will often hunt together which significantly
increases the chance of the hunt being successful than if the hunt is undertaken by a single
Jackal.
REPRODUCTION
Black-backed Jackals start breeding at 1-2 years of age, and reproduce annually with
pups being born in the dry season (in Namibia this is typically October). The black backed
jackal has a gestation period of around 64 days. The vixens (females) typically give birth to
between 4 and 7 pups, with up to 10 being born in a litter on some occasions. A baby
black-backed jackal is called a 'pup'. A black-backed jackal group is called a 'pack'. The
pups are helpless at birth and remain in the burrow being cared for by the mother while the
father hunts for food, either alone or with help from the previous litter of cubs who are now
sub-adults. After around 3 weeks the pups start eating meat regurgitated by the parents,
but they are not fully weaned till they are around 10 weeks old. At age 3-4 months, the
pups start exploring the area around the den and gradually expanding to explore wider
areas, and start learning to hunt. By the time they are 6 months old they are able to hunt
well but still remain with the parents who feed, groom and play with them. At 6-8 months
old some of the pups will leave the family unit to find a territory of their own, while some of
the other pups will remain till they are 18 months or 2 years old and will become sub-adult
helpers who help their parents raise the next litter of pups.
DISEASE
Jackals can carry rabies and their close family units plus their aggressive response to
intruders means that rabies is easily spread through the Jackal population. Jackals are
responsible for a significant percentage (20-30%) of recorded rabies cases in Africa.
Jackals can also carry Canine Distemper Virus, and Canine parvovirus - diseases that
also affect lions and African wild dogs, and which can be transmitted to domestic animals.
This risk of disease transmission is another reason why Jackals are disliked and
persecuted by many farmers.
DISTRIBUTION
Black-backed Jackals are found in two distinct areas - one in Southern Africa, which
includes South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Southern Angola, and the
other in East Africa including Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.
| Introducing the Black Backed Jackals! |
| One of our babies Born January 18 |
| An Adult Jackal |
| A Black Backed Jackal and a Spotted Hyena |