Side-striped Jackal

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Side-striped jackal
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: C. adustus
Canis adustus
Sundevall, 1847

The Side-striped jackal (Canis adustus) is a member of the family Canidae, native to central and Southern African.

Description

Side-striped jackal is a greyish brown to tan with a white stripe from the front legs to the hips and has a dark tail that has a white tip. Side-striped jackal can weigh from 14 to 30 lb. Males tend to be larger than the females.

Habitat and diet

Side-striped jackals live in the woodland areas along with grassland, bush and marshes. Side-striped jackals eat fruit, insects, small mammals such as rats, hares and birds. They will often follow big cats to scavenge their kills.

Reproduction

Breeding season depends on where they live, in Southern African breeding starts in June and ends in November. Side-striped jackals have a gestation period of 57 to 70 days with average litter of 3 to 6 young. They reach sexual maturity at 6 to 8 months old and typically begin to leave when 11 months old.