by Tammy L Mahan

Created on: April 05, 2008   Last Updated: January 03, 2009

There are three species of the jackal, the golden or common jackal, the side-striped jackal, and the black-back jackal. The black-back jackal can often have a silver back which causes some confusion about whether there is actually four species.

Zoologist have determined that the black-back and silver back are actually one in the same, with a single color variation that can be caused by a simple gene mutation during the reproduction process.

All three species of the jackal are native to East Africa. The jackal is one of the noisiest animals in the world. They communicate with members of their pack by making a screaming sound which is very loud and high pitched. Each pack has a specific scream that is recognized by the members of their pack.

A jackal will only reply to a "scream" that comes from a member of there pack. However it is not uncommon for a jackal to react to the screams of another nearby pact if they recognize the particular scream as a warning of impending danger.

The three species of jackals only have two traits that separate each species. Their coloration and their choice of habitat. Other than that the three species have the same diet, predators, mating and reproduction rituals and social behavior.

All three of the jackal species have the same physical characteristics. The average adult both male and female weigh 15 to 35 pounds and are 20 inches in length.

~ Golden/Common Jackal ~

This species of the jackal has light to medium brown coloration on its fur with a black tip on its tails. It has shorter legs and a more muscular body than the other three species. It can be found living in the open land's grasslands and parts of the desert.

~ Side-Striped Jackal ~

This species is a darker brown in color and has white and black stripes on the sides of its body with a white tip tail. The side-striped jackal makes its home in the mountains, marshes and the savannas.

~ Black-Back Jackal ~

The base color of this species is all black with a slight mixture of rust through out the fur. The Silver-back Jackal has a dark brown to black coat with a silver tip tail. The black-back jackal makes its home in wooded areas and arid places.

~ Diet ~

All three species of the jackal family will eat anything, often called an opportunist hunter. They prefer a carnivorous diet including; small mammals, small reptiles, birds, rodents and even insects. They also eat left over's from other animals kills or will pick at the carcasses of dead animals. They will also eat grass, plant vegetation

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