Jackals are monogamous- usually, a male and
a female will mate and partner for life. The helpers assist
the family in many ways; they keep guard outside the dens
and warn of oncoming danger and sometimes they even hunt for
the pups and nursing mothers. Helpers are young jackals that
have reached sexual maturity but have avoided breeding and
stay on with the parents to help take care of younger siblings.
Jackals normally hunt singly or in pairs,
but they will labour communally when it suits them. Like hyenas,
they hunt by chasing their prey to near death exhaustion -biting
and tearing at its behind. Once the victim dwindles, the pack
closes in and begins to feast. Those unable to make it to
the kill are not forgotten: some of the meal is spared and
delivered or regurgitated to them later.
Jackals are cunning and every hunt is well
calculated. From a herd of prey, the leader of the pack first
singles out the weakest or youngest. The leader of the herd
or the calf's mother is usually noted and a number of jackals
sent out to distract them. The rest of the hunters then move
to surround the unfortunate victim and the chase begins. Jackals
on a hunt thrive on the motto, "united we stand".
They also steal from other predators- for
a pack of them can be very irritating, and easily causes a
larger predator to abandon its kill. They growl and howl,
running around the predator in an attempt to sidetrack it
off its meal. In most cases this works, and the much smaller
jackal has many times ended up with the dinner of mighty king
lion. But this is a risky strategy, and woe unto the jackal
that is caught-up-with by a lion; it is a death sentence.
Their varied diet includes small antelopes,
mongooses, fruits, berries, rodents, small invertebrates,
insects, and interestingly scorpions and spiders. They are
also renowned carrion foragers and livestock thieves. On these
grounds South African farmers kill many jackals. These wild
animals are a lot like dogs, behaving and communicating in
similar ways. Jackals are prey to leopards, hyenas and eagles.
Another of Africa's lesser predators is the
African wild dog- also known as the African painted dog, painted
wolf or the hunting dog. This is very rare animal, lives in
arid areas and in the savannah and is only found in good numbers
in Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. In East Africa, you have
small populations in Kenya's Maasai Mara, but impressive numbers
in southern Tanzania, particularly in Selous and Mikumi. In
much of the rest of Africa, wild dogs are either extinct or
are on the verge of vanishing.
The African wild dog actually is more like
a dog, with long legs, raised bat-like ears and a huge jaw.
Marked with patched patterns of various earth colours, these
dogs can easily camouflage into nature. Individuals bear a
unique pattern, which is their identity; just like the human
fingerprint.
Wild dogs are highly intelligent and social
animals. They live and hunt communally, usually in packs of
6 to 20 dogs. All members of a pack are involved in looking
after the young, most of who are born of the dominant female.
The dominant male in the pack enjoys most of the breeding
privileges. Wild dogs weigh an average of 25 kg, and length-wise
stretch about 80-110 cm.
Members of a pack share a strong bond built
through play. They hunt in a similar manner to hyenas and
jackals. They have the ability to run for long without tiring
at a steady speed of about 55 km/h. With their poor night
vision, they prefer to hunt at sunrise and sunset.
A successful wild dog hunt will rarely have less than 6 hunters.
They hunt when very excited, and take time to work at raising
the spirits of all in the pack. Before the hunt they socialize
among themselves, vocalizing croons and touching. This creates
a frenzied state of excitement in the pack, and then the hunt
begins!
Like warriors on a mission they follow their
leader who picks the least likely survivor in a herd of prey.
The leader charges first, with the rest in tow. If the leader
tires, another strong member steps in his place. After the
leader initiates the first bite, the rest of the pack is at
liberty to close in and make merry. Very much like jackals,
those absent are not forgotten and are assured of a take-away
dinner.
Wild dogs are very efficient hunters and once
an animal is marked, it will almost certainly come to a sad
end. They show little mercy, and will gladly tear a catch
alive, devouring it to the last bit of flesh and occasionally
bone. Most people find this revolting and wild dogs are dogged
with a bad image.
Wild dogs are in constant competition with
hyenas, and as result they share in mutual loathing. In many
instances, wild dogs engage hyenas in a tight fight while
attempting to steal a kill. But hyenas are sharper in this
kind of game, and in which they tend to win. Arising from
such bitter memories, hyenas will provoke a brawl with wild
dogs, even when there is no food involved.
The painted dogs are always on the move and
will seldom stay in an area for long. In the absence of prey,
they will not pass on an opportunity for a carrion meal. They
mostly hunt and eat medium-size antelopes- such as impala
and Thomson's gazelle, and smaller animals such as rats, hares
and even lizards.
Wild dogs occasionally raid livestock after
straying into farms, resulting in farmers shooting or poisoning
them. Today, this species of the African wildlife heritage
is endangered and frantic efforts are being made to safeguard
and replenish it.
The best way to see the pick of the lesser
predators is by taking a combined Kenya-Tanzania
safari. This gives good value as you will also
see the big cats, and all of the other wildlife East Africa
is famed for.
Africa
Travel Newsletter > Hyenas,
Jackals & Wild Dogs: The Sharpest of Africa's Lesser Predators
> Page 2
