On a recent drive, after the sun had disappeared and the spotlight on the vehicle was out, we had the pleasure of seeing one of the more elusive creatures of Londolozi.  The side-striped jackal is not a very well-known animal and is one of the less often seen smaller predators found in the area. When you normally see a jackal, the more common and bolder species of the black-backed jackal definitely makes up for the majority of sightings. Over recent times, there have been a couple more sightings of this elusive animal, and for these reasons, it sparked some interest.

The side-striped jackal is distinguishable from its cousin, the black-backed jackal by the prominent strip that runs down each flank; they are also slightly larger, but at a brief glance, that is difficult to distinguish. Their coat is predominantly a greyish-brown colour, which helps them to better blend in with their habitat, mainly in woodland areas. They prefer these dense thickets and woodland areas as here they can move discreetly and avoid other larger predators.

It’s not very often we see Jackal on Londolozi, and it’s most likely due to the high density of lion and leopard, as well as the severe drought we had a few years back. This had a devastating effect on some of the smaller predators who feed on rats, mice and sometimes scavenge. In this sighting, we were fortunate enough to see this side-striped jackal as well as a black-backed jackal together trying to scavenge some remaining meat from a lion kill.

Side-striped jackals are normally viewed as being one of the smaller carnivore species, but in actual fact, they have an extremely adaptable diet. A lot of their diet consists of smaller mammals such as rodents, but they are known to be highly omnivorous and at certain times of the year, they rely heavily on fruit. This is where the link between them and the jackalberry tree was made, as they are often seen foraging on the fallen fruits of the tree.

One key factor that we have noticed at Londolozi when it comes to viewing the side-striped jackal is that it can often be cyclical. There are periods where there are no sightings for quite some time, and then all of a sudden they start appearing again. Interestingly enough, the same happens with black-backed jackals. Reading into this, I found that the two species are direct competitors competing for the same resources. As a result of this competition, the species tend to have different preferred habitats. As mentioned before, the side-striped jackal prefers denser thickets and more woodland areas, whereas the black-backed jackal prefers more open areas with much more grass. The side-striped jackal is also known to be more nocturnal, whereas the bolder black-backed jackal is often seen during the daytime.

Above is a black-backed jackal, differentiated from the side-striped by having that prominent black fur on the back and lacking the distinctive stripes on the flank.

I found it very interesting that sightings of these two species can come in waves, and I think the main reason for this would be if one species had overwhelming numbers over the other and due to being outcompeted, the other would leave the area for a while. Typically, the black-backed jackal is more dominant, but if numbers are very few and side-striped jackals are plentiful and need to expand into areas so as to avoid confrontations with members of the same species, then I can see why we maybe don’t notice the presence of the other for a while.

The side-striped jackal is a valuable member of the ecosystem, they greatly helps to keep rodent populations under control, as well as providing a cleanup service from their scavenger tendencies, where they will assist in the cleanup of carrion. They are one of the few species that practice monogamy, and the bonds between pairs are very strong, often controlling territories together.

So next time you are out on a drive after sunset, keep a lookout! You may be lucky enough to see one of the smaller, more elusive animals that we don’t get to see very regularly, and while it might be a quick, fleeting glance due to their shy nature, it is really enjoyable to see one of these small little predators thriving!