# Golden Jackal (*Canis aureus*)

> The golden jackal is a medium-sized canid with a golden coat and pointed ears, found from Africa through the Middle East to southern Asia and expanding into Europe. Omnivorous and adaptable, jackals weigh 7–15 kg (15–33 lb), pair-bond for life, and vocalise with yips and howls at dusk.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** North and East Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and expanding populations in southeastern and central Europe.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/jackal/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Carnivora
- **Family:** Canidae
- **Genus:** Canis

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Canis aureus |
| Diet | Omnivore — rodents, fruit, insects, carrion, and refuse |
| Habitat | Savannas, farmland, scrub, and forest edges across Eurasia and Africa |
| Lifespan | 11–13 years in the wild |
| Weight | 7–15 kg (15–33 lb); males slightly larger |
| Top speed | Up to 32 km/h (20 mph) in sustained trot |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Omnivorous opportunist

Golden jackals thrive on varied diets — hunting rodents and hares, scavenging kills, eating fruit and insects, and raiding crops and rubbish near villages. This flexibility helps explain their expansion into new areas including parts of central and eastern Europe.

## Pair bonds and vocal packs

Jackals often mate for life, with pairs defending territories together. Family groups may include grown offspring helping raise the next litter. Their evening chorus of yips and howls carries across open country.

## Range expansion

Once limited largely to warm regions, golden jackals have spread northward in Europe, reaching the Baltic states and beyond. Climate change, reduced persecution, and abundant food in agricultural landscapes may all contribute.

## Ecology and conflict

Jackals control rodent populations and clean carrion but occasionally prey on lambs or poultry, drawing persecution. Rabies transmission is a concern in some regions. Globally Least Concern, they are increasingly studied as climate-driven range shifters.

## Frequently asked questions

### Jackal vs coyote — what is the difference?

Golden jackals are native to the Old World — Africa, Asia, and expanding in Europe. Coyotes are a separate New World species (Canis latrans) of similar ecological niche in the Americas.

### Do jackals attack humans?

Attacks are extremely rare. Jackals generally avoid people and are more likely to scavenge at night than confront humans.

### What sound do jackals make?

High-pitched yips, howls, and wails, often in chorus at dusk and dawn — familiar from many wildlife documentaries set in Africa and India.

### Where do golden jackals live?

North and East Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and increasingly central and southeastern Europe.

### What do jackals eat?

Rodents, hares, birds, fruit, insects, carrion, and human refuse — a highly opportunistic omnivorous diet.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Canis aureus.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Canis%20aureus&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Canis aureus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Canis_aureus/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/jackal/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.