Jackal hunting trips in Bulgaria - Hunting area Петко Славейков 5434

Golden jackal hunting trips in Bulgaria

Canis Aureus L.

Distribution

The Golden jackal is widely distributed across Asia Minor, North Africa and Southeastern Europe. In the near past in Bulgaria this species was considered rare so shooting was forbidden. Restrictive measures are imposed for the Golden jackal due to the significant increase in its number and extension of the area, seen in the recent years.

General information

In systematic terms it belongs to the family of Canis, as it looks like a wolf, but is smaller than it. The fur colour is grey-yellow. It is darker on the back, and sidelong, on the neck, legs and on both sides of the head it is golden-yellow. Its tail is shaggy with yellow-gray colour and has single darker spots; its end is black. Body length of the jackal reaches up to 100-120 cm and the tail – 20-30 cm.

Way of life and feeding

The Golden jackal hunts mainly at night. It is generally omnivorous and eats carrion and small animals. It eats the eggs of birds nesting on the ground, it causes significant damage to the state reserve, killing rabbits, pheasants and partridges, fawns, and the young of the fallow deer, etc., it also eats fruits, watermelons and melons. The Golden jackal lives singly. After dusk it howls in an unusual way, resembling crying, and all jackals in the close vicinity respond.

Reproduction

The mating period is in March. The pregnancy period lasts 60-63 days. The female gives birth to 4-5, rarely more cubs, in simply constructed small holes in the ground.

Economic significance

The Golden jackal belongs to the group of harmful game. The hunting is realized with battue or enticement with carrion. Its skin is not valuable. The trophy is the head with the jaws and the skin.