Golden Jackals live in our valley. They are very timid and in all the years we have lived here, we have never seen one in person. We are sometimes lucky enough to catch them on our wildlife camera, but they hide away when they see us. The ones in our valley are well-fed and healthy. They don’t pose any risk to you on the campsite.

They are the focus of many regeneration programmes in Europe and they are beginning to resettle in their former homes. When we discuss large carnivores in Europe, we always talk about Wolves, Bears or Lynxes, but we rarely think of the Golden Jackal. Almost unnoticed by the public, the Golden Jackal is staging a come back that is far more impressive than any of the other carnivores.  In Czech Republic, scientists and researchers from Hungary and Serbia alerted the audience to start focusing on a large scale return of the Golden Jackal all across Europe. Austria has for example started a monitoring programme.

Europe is truly beginning to welcome some of its most beautiful wildlife back home. We are lucky enough to be in the middle of a successful breeding area.

The Golden Jackal is a social species typically consisting of a breeding pair and any offspring it might have. 

People often mistake the Golden Jackal for a small grey wolf. The difference are in fact only subtle, where the Golden Jackal is more slender built, has a narrower, more pointed muzzle, a shorter tail, and a lighter tread than the grey wolf.  Its winter fur also differs from a wolf’s by its brindle grey-reddish colour.

Key Facts About Jackals

Lifespan: 8 – 16 years

Top Speed: 32 km/hr

Weight: 7 – 15 kg

Height: 44cm – 50 cm

Length: 60 – 110 cm

Number in a group: They live in pairs. They keep their pups with them for several weeks, so the largest number you will see in one group is one family.

Young: 4-7 Puppies in a litter

What do Jackals Eat?

Researchers have studied the diet of golden jackals in south-eastern Europe. More than half of the jackal’s diet consists of small mammals, like mice. In addition, they consume birds, medium-sized mammals, plants and fruit. Generally, the golden jackals did not actively hunt or kill livestock, although they have a reputation for this. The Golden Jackal is very adaptable and opportunistic forager being able to exploit many food sources, this has helped its regeneration.

Where do they Live?

Bulgaria has the largest jackal population in Europe, which went through a 33–fold increase in range from the early sixties to mid-eighties and now is estimated at more than 5000 animals.

Golden Jackal populations have been increasing in Serbia since the late 1970s, In Croatia a 2007 survey reported 19 jackal packs, in Slovenia, they have also established a permanent presence. It is obvious that the species continues to expand towards Central Europe.

In Hungary, Golden Jackals having returned in the late 1970s, they now are estimated to outnumber red foxes.

In Italy the species is found. It is expected that they will move south and further to the west to France and Switzerland.

Recently, an isolated population was confirmed in western Estonia, much further north than their common range and Golden Jackals were caught on camera traps in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany at the Baltic sea.

When will you Hear Them?

They are diurnal, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. This is when you are most likely to hear them calling to other pairs of jackals in our valley.

What Do They Sound Like?

Jackals call and communicate with other packs by howling and calling. They do this at dawn and dusk, so the time varies throughout the year. It sounds like children playing and screaming. You will hear different packs in conversation across our valley.

We have been lucky enough to record our jackals on our wildlife camera.

Find out more on the Wilderness Society website. For more information about wildlife in and around our site see #nature.

For more information about nature in and around the campsite click here. We also have a great post about storks – Bulgaria’s favourite bird. For more information about jackals, you will find some great information here.