24/04/2025
FACTS OF BLACK-BACKED JACKAL.
The black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) is a medium-sized, highly adaptable carnivore found throughout eastern and southern Africa, with a strong presence in Kenya. Recognizable by its reddish-brown coat and a distinctive black saddle along its back, this jackal also features a bushy, black-tipped tail and large ears. Adults typically weigh between 6โ13 kg and stand about 38โ48 cm at the shoulder.
Black-backed jackals are opportunistic omnivores, feeding on a wide range of food including small mammals, birds, insects, fruits, and carrion. They are capable hunters, often working alone or in pairs, but are equally effective scavengers, commonly seen following larger predators like lions or hyenas to feed on leftovers. Their ability to adapt their diet to seasonal availability and habitat makes them resilient in diverse environments.
These jackals are generally monogamous, with breeding pairs maintaining and defending defined territories. Both parents participate in rearing offspring, and their vocalizationsโranging from howls to high-pitched yipsโplay a key role in communication and territorial defense. Although mainly active at dawn and dusk, they are also known to be nocturnal, especially in hotter regions.
In Kenya, black-backed jackals are widely distributed across open landscapes and semi-arid areas. They are commonly seen in national parks and reserves such as Masai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo East and West, Laikipia Plateau, and Samburu. These habitats offer the open terrain and abundant food sources that support their survival. They are rarely found in dense forests or wetlands.
Ecologically, the black-backed jackal plays a crucial role as both a predator and scavenger, helping control populations of small animals and contributing to the natural cleanup of carrion. Their presence is an indicator of a balanced ecosystem, and they remain a key species in Kenya's savanna and arid region biodiversity.
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