Striped-sided Jackal

		Striped-sided Jackal
		He is a wild animal


Origin			Central Africa
Translation			Francis Vandersteen

The possession of this animal is not authorized

The Striped Jackal (Canis adustus) is a species of carnivore in the genus Canis, family Canidae. It is native to central and southern Africa.

The striped jackal is grayish-brown in color, with a white stripe from the forelegs to the hips, and has a dark tail with a white tip. The striped jackal can weigh from 6 to 14 kilograms. Males are relatively larger than females. They are social and gather in small families, communicating through "piercing calls" in a soft, owl-like manner. The striped jackal is nocturnal, and rarely active during the day.

The striped jackal lives in humid woodlands, with meadows, bushes and marshes. It feeds on fruit, insects and small mammals such as rats, hares and birds. It also preys on the young of animals such as warthogs and gazelles. It likes to follow certain felines to enjoy the remains of their carrion, but has never been observed killing larger prey.

The mating season for these species depends on where they live; in southern Africa it begins in June and ends in November. The striped jackal has a gestation period of 57 to 70 days, after which the female gives birth to 3 to 6 young. The young reach sexual maturity after 6 to 8 months, and generally start to leave when they are 11 months old. The striped jackal is one of the few mammal species to mate for life, always with the same partner and forming monogamous couples.