Golden Jackal

Although similar to a small grey wolf, the golden jackal is distinguished by a lighter tread, a more slender build, a sharper muzzle and a shorter tail. Its winter fur also differs from the wolf's by its more fulvous-reddish colour. Despite its name, the golden jackal is not closely related to black-backed and side-striped jackals, being instead more closely related to the grey wolf, coyote, and Ethiopian wolf. It is capable of producing fertile hybrids with wolves, with hybrid populations having been discovered in Senegal and Bulgaria.

The golden jackal features prominently in African, Middle-Eastern and Asian folklore and literature, where it is often portrayed as a trickster analogous to the fox and coyote in European and North American tales, respectively.

Its preferred habitats consist of flat shrublands, humid reeded areas and floodplains.

The golden jackal is an omnivorous and opportunistic forager; its diet varies according to season and habitat.

The average litter is 2-8 cubs.