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Black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) are noisy creatures. They communicate with one another by means of screams, yaps, howls, and other sounds. "Ke-ke-ke-kek!" is an alarm call used to warn that lions are prowling nearby. "Wuf" is a soft call made by parents when an enemy approaches their pups. "Bweha!" is a howl followed by short yelps; it is heard in the evening or at night, while the jackals hunt.
Basic Facts
Class: mammals
Order: carnivores
Family: coyotes, dogs, foxes, jackals, and wolves
Length: 37 to 54 inches (including the tail)
Height at the Shoulder: 18 to 20 inches
Weight: 20 to 30 pounds
Diet: plants and animals
Number of Young: up to 9
Home: Africa
Black-backed jackals usually hunt alone or with one companion. But 20 or more jackals may gather around and devour the remains of an animal killed by a lion, cheetah, or other large carnivore. Jackals locate these kills by watching vultures circle high in the sky.
When the vultures swoop to the ground, the jackals know the birds have spotted something to eat. They rush to the place the vultures found. Often a lion is busy eating. The jackals and vultures -often joined by hyenas- wait nearby. Slowly, they move closer and closer to the lion. Sometimes they annoy the lion so much that it leaves, even though it has not finished eating.
Black-backed jackals also eat rodents, birds, snakes, insects, eggs, fruits, and berries. In some places, jackals are pests because they attack and eat farm animals.
The female black-backed jackal gives birth in a den or burrow. For the first three weeks of their lives, pups feed only on their mother's milk. Then the parents begin to bring the pups meat. When the pups are about eight weeks old, they start to join their parents on hunting trips and slowly learn the art of the kill.
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