Black-backed jackal
The Black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) is one of the African continent’s most adaptable and enduring predators. They have walked the African plains for over 2 million years, making it one of the oldest surviving members of the dog family. Its evolutionary success lies in its intelligence, adaptability, and resilience. They exist in two distinct regions: Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, South Africa) and Eastern Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania). Despite the geographical divide, both populations share the same instincts and striking appearance. Black-backed jackals are monogamous, forming lifelong pairs. Both parents, and sometimes older siblings help raise the pups, creating a strong family unit that boosts survival. Jackals are known for their intelligence: They cache food for later, can outwit traps and avoid danger, and sometimes team up to hunt larger prey. Their adaptability has allowed them to coexist with humans better than many other wild carnivores. They may not be the king of the savanna, but they are masters of survival. In a world of shifting landscapes and growing human pressures, this clever canid continues to thrive.
Photographed in the wild whilst on a visit to Dinokeng Game Reserve, South Africa.
See more from this trip at
www.nickhoare.photography/For-Public-Viewing/General-Phot...
Black-backed jackal
The Black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) is one of the African continent’s most adaptable and enduring predators. They have walked the African plains for over 2 million years, making it one of the oldest surviving members of the dog family. Its evolutionary success lies in its intelligence, adaptability, and resilience. They exist in two distinct regions: Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, South Africa) and Eastern Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania). Despite the geographical divide, both populations share the same instincts and striking appearance. Black-backed jackals are monogamous, forming lifelong pairs. Both parents, and sometimes older siblings help raise the pups, creating a strong family unit that boosts survival. Jackals are known for their intelligence: They cache food for later, can outwit traps and avoid danger, and sometimes team up to hunt larger prey. Their adaptability has allowed them to coexist with humans better than many other wild carnivores. They may not be the king of the savanna, but they are masters of survival. In a world of shifting landscapes and growing human pressures, this clever canid continues to thrive.
Photographed in the wild whilst on a visit to Dinokeng Game Reserve, South Africa.
See more from this trip at
www.nickhoare.photography/For-Public-Viewing/General-Phot...