Side-striped jackal

The side-striped jackal (Lupulella adusta) is a type of canine that lives naturally in Central and Southern Africa. It belongs to the same family as wolves, dogs, and other similar animals.

This jackal has a wider area where it can be found compared to another well-known jackal called the black-backed jackal. However, in many places where side-striped jackals live, we do not have much information about how many of them there are or how they are doing.

Taxonomy and evolution

The side-striped jackal was first named by a Swedish scientist in 1847. Later, in 1906, a German scientist suggested a different name for the group it belongs to.

Scientists have found old bones of these jackals that are very old, from a time called the Pliocene era. In 2019, experts looked at DNA and decided that the side-striped jackal and another type of jackal should be placed in their own special group, called Lupulella. This shows that these jackals have a unique history and came from Africa.

Studies also show that the teeth of the side-striped jackal look different from other jackals, supporting the idea that it belongs in this special group.

Description

The side-striped jackal is a slim, medium-sized dog-like animal. It is usually a bit bigger than the black-backed jackal. These jackals can weigh between 6.5 and 14 kg and measure from 69 to 81 cm from the head to the body. Their tails are 30 to 41 cm long, and they stand about 35 to 50 cm tall at the shoulder.

Their fur is a mix of buff and grey colors. The back is a darker grey than the belly, and the tail is black with a grey tip that looks almost silver. There are pale white stripes on the sides, running from the elbow to the hip. These stripes can look different between individuals, with adults having clearer stripes than younger ones.

Dietary habits

The side-striped jackal is not as meat-focused as other jackals and can eat many types of food, changing what it eats depending on the season and where it lives. Usually, it hunts alone, but sometimes families of up to 12 jackals eat together in western Zimbabwe. In the rainy season, it mostly eats small creatures without spines, like insects. In drier months, it looks for small animals, such as the springhare. It also often finds food at campsites or eats what bigger animals leave behind.

When wild fruits are in season, the jackal will eat them, but in areas close to people, fruits can make up about 30% of what they eat. These jackals are usually not very aggressive hunters compared to other jackals. They generally avoid hunting animals bigger than very small antelopes. One jackal was seen going into a duck’s pen to eat food meant for the ducks, even though the ducks were there.

A side-striped jackal from Angola was found to carry a special kind of worm in its intestines called Pachysentis angolensis.

Social behaviour and reproduction

The side-striped jackal lives alone or in family groups of up to seven animals. These families are led by a pair of adults that stay together for many years.

Breeding times change depending on where the jackals live; in Southern Africa, they breed from June to November. After a pregnancy of 57 to 70 days, a family usually has three to six babies. These babies grow up and leave their parents around 11 months old. Side-striped jackals are special because they mate for life, staying together as a pair.

Subspecies

There are seven recognized subspecies of the side-striped jackal. These include Sundevall's side-striped jackal from West Africa to most of Angola, Elgon side-striped jackal in East Africa near Kenya, and several others found in different parts of Africa such as Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, Ethiopia, and more.