Jackal
Jackal is the name of several species of wild dog of wolf-like shape, but they are much smaller than wolves and other wild dogs. Take a similar ecological niches and are thus to each other in areas where overlap their distribution areas, in competition. Jackals live as opportunistic predators of mostly small and medium-sized prey and carrion. They are perennial runner with long legs and usually go at dusk and at night alone or in small groups to hunt.
Species
Jackals in the narrow sense
Usually refers to three Afro-Asiatic species of the genus Canis as jackals:
- Golden jackal (Canis aureus), the most widespread type
- Black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas )
- Striped Jackal (Canis adustus )
While the Black-backed Jackal and the Side-striped Jackal are closely related, the golden jackal is more closely related to other species of the genus.
More " jackals "
In addition to these types of Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis ) is sometimes called " Ethiopian jackal " or " Abyssinian jackal " means.
The North American Coyote (Canis latrans ) fills a similar ecological niche as the jackals and has many parallels in his life. In the English -speaking world it is therefore sometimes referred to as American jackal ( "American jackal " ) referred.
There is also an Andean Jackal ( Lycalopex culpaeus ), which is part of the South American wild dogs of the genus Lycalopex and not closely related to the species mentioned above.
Etymology
The word Jackal (English jackal ) is derived on Turkish and Persian çakal شغال shaghāl from Sanskrit शृगाल | from शृगाल śṛgāla.
Cultural History
The Egyptian god Anubis was shown with a jackal head.