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Excerpted from from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_jackal

The '''golden jackal''' (''Canis aureus'') is a [[Evolution of the wolf#Wolf-like canids|wolf-like canid]] that is native to [[Southeast Europe]], [[Southwest Asia]], [[South Asia]], and regions of [[Southeast Asia]]. Compared with the [[Arabian wolf]], which is the smallest of the [[Gray wolf|gray wolves]], ''(Canis lupus)'', the jackal is smaller and possesses shorter legs, a shorter tail, a more elongated torso, a less-prominent forehead, and a narrower and more pointed muzzle. The golden jackal's coat can vary in color from a pale creamy yellow in summer to a dark tawny beige in winter. It is listed as [[Least Concern]] on the [[IUCN Red List]] due to its widespread distribution and high density in areas with plenty of available food and optimum shelter.

Golden jackals are abundant in valleys and beside rivers and their tributaries, canals, lakes, and seashores. They are rare in foothills and low mountains. The golden jackal is a social species, the basic social unit of which consists of a breeding pair and any young offspring. It is very adaptable, with the ability to exploit food ranging from fruit and insects to small [[ungulates]]. They will attack domestic fowl and domestic mammals up to the size of [[domestic water buffalo]] calves. The jackal's competitors are the [[red fox]], [[wolf]], [[jungle cat]], [[Wildcat#Forest wildcat|forest wildcat]], and, in the Caucasus, the [[raccoon]], and, in Central Asia, the [[steppe wildcat]]. The jackal is expanding beyond its native grounds in Southeast Europe into [[Central Europe]], occupying areas where there are few or no wolves.

The word "[[jackal]]" appeared in the [[English language]] around 1600. It derives from the Turkish word ''çakal'', which originates from the Persian word ''šagāl''.<ref name=oxford2017/> The golden jackal, ''Canis aureus''{{snd}}"golden dog" in [[Latin]]{{snd}} was first recorded by the Swedish zoologist [[Carl Linnaeus]] in his 1758 publication ''[[Systema Naturae]]''.<ref name=linnaeus1758/> It is also known as the common jackal, the Asiatic jackal,<ref name=jhala2008/><ref name=jhala2004/> and Eurasian golden jackal.<ref name=koepfli2015/> The mammalogist W.{{nbsp}}Christopher Wozencraft listed thirteen [[subspecies]] under ''C.{{nbsp}}aureus'' in the third edition of ''[[Mammal Species of the World]]'', published in 2005.<ref name=wozencraft2005/> The biological family ''[[Canidae]]'' is composed of the South American canids, the fox-like canids, and the [[Evolution of the wolf#Wolf-like canids|wolf-like canids]].<ref name=wayne1993/> All species within the wolf-like canids share a similar morphology and possess 78{{nbsp}}[[chromosome]]s, allowing them potentially to [[hybrid (biology)|interbreed]].<ref name=wayne1999/> Within the wolf-like canids is the jackal group, which includes the three jackals: the [[black-backed jackal]] (''C.{{nbsp}}mesomelas''), the [[side-striped jackal]] (''Canis adustus''), and the golden jackal (''Canis aureus''). These three species are approximately the same size, possess similar dental and skeletal morphology, and are identified from each other primarily by their coat color. They were once thought to have different distributions across Africa with their ranges overlapping in [[East Africa]] (Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania).<ref name=wayne1989/> Although the jackal group has traditionally been considered as homogenous, genetic studies show that jackals are not [[monophyletic]] (they do not share a common ancestor),<ref name=rueness2011/><ref name=cherin2013/><ref name=valkenburgh1994/> and they are only distantly related.<ref name=valkenburgh1994/> The accuracy of the colloquial name "jackal" to describe all jackals is therefore questionable.<ref name=rueness2011/>

Results from two recent studies of mDNA from golden jackals indicate that the specimens from Africa are genetically closer to the gray wolf than are the specimens from Eurasia.<ref name=rueness2011/><ref name=gaubert2012/> In 2015 a major DNA study of golden jackals concluded that the six ''C.{{nbsp}}aureus'' subspecies found in Africa should be reclassified under the new species ''C.{{nbsp}}anthus'' (African golden wolf),<ref name=koepfli2015/><ref name=zachos2016/><ref name=COL2015/> reducing the number of golden jackal subspecies to seven. The phylogenetic tree generated from this study shows the golden jackal diverging from the wolf/coyote lineage 1.9{{nbsp}}million years ago and the African golden wolf diverging 1.3{{nbsp}}million years ago. The study found that the golden jackal and the African golden wolf shared a very similar skull and body morphology and that this had confused taxonomists into regarding these as one species. The study proposes that the very similar skull and body morphology is due to both species having originated from a larger common ancestor.<ref name=koepfli2015/>

The oldest golden jackal fossil was found at the [[Ksar Akil]] rock shelter located {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} northeast of [[Beirut]], Lebanon. The fragment of a single tooth is dated approximately 20,000 years ago.<ref name=kurten1965/> The oldest golden jackal fossils found in Europe are from [[Delphi]] and Kitsos in Greece and are dated 7,000–6,500 years ago.<ref name=sommer2005/> An unusual fossil of a heel bone found in [[Azokh Cave]], in the [[Republic of Artsakh]] in [[Transcaucasia]], dates to the [[Middle Pleistocene]] and is described as probably belonging to the golden jackal, but its classification is not clear. The fossil is described as being slightly smaller and thinner than the [[cave lynx]], similar to the fox, but too large, and similar to the wolf, but too small. As the golden jackal falls between these two in size, the fossil possibly belongs to a golden jackal.<ref name=jalvo2016/> The absence of clearly identified golden jackal fossils in the [[Caucasus]] region and [[Transcaucasia]], areas where the species currently resides, indicates that the species is a relatively recent arrival.<ref name=lapini2003/>

A [[haplotype]] is a group of [[genes]] found in an organism that is inherited from one of its parents.<ref name=cox2016/><ref name=editorial2012/> A [[haplogroup]] is a group of similar haplotypes that share a single [[single-nucleotide polymorphism|mutation]] inherited from their common ancestor.<ref name=arora2015/> The mDNA haplotypes of the golden jackal form two haplogroups: the oldest haplogroup is formed by golden jackals from India, and the other, younger, haplogroup diverging from this includes golden jackals from all of the other regions.<ref name=ibis2015/> Indian golden jackals exhibit the highest [[genetic diversity]], and those from northern and western India are the most [[Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]], which indicates that India was the center from which golden jackals spread. The extant golden jackal lineage commenced expanding its population in India 37,000 years ago. During the Last Glacial Maximum, 25,000 to 18,000 years ago, the warmer regions of India and [[Southeast Asia]] provided a refuge from colder surrounding areas. At the end of the Last Glacial Maximum and the beginning of the warming cycles, the golden jackal lineage expanded out of India and into Eurasia to reach the Middle East and Europe.<ref name=negi2015/>

===Subspecies===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Subspecies of ''Canis aureus''
|-
! scope="col" | Subspecies
! scope="col" | Trinomial authority
! scope="col" | Description
! scope="col" | Distribution
! scope="col" | Synonyms
|-
! scope="row" | ''C. a. aureus'' Common jackal
[[Nominate subspecies]]
[[File:Golden Jackal at Rajkot 2 (cropped).jpg|150 px]]
|[[Linnaeus]], 1758<ref name=linnaeus1758/>
| Large, with soft, pale fur with predominantly sandy tones.<ref name=heptner140/> The general color of the outer fur is usually black and white, while the underfur varies from pale brown to pale slate-grey. Occasionally, the nape and shoulders are of a buff color. The ears and front legs are buff, sometimes tan, while the feet are pale. The hind legs are more deeply tinted above the hocks. The chin and forethroat are usually whitish. Weight varies geographically, ranging around {{convert|8|-|10|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. In areas where it borders the range of the larger, more richly coloured [[Indian jackal]] (particularly the area of [[Kumaon division|Kumaun]] in India), animals of intermediate size and colour sometimes appear.<ref name=pocock1941c/>
|Middle Asia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Arabian Peninsula, Baluchistan<ref name=heptner140/> and the deserts of western India where its distribution overlaps with the Indian jackal to the north and the Sri Lankan jackal to the south.<ref name=pocock1941c/>
|''balcanicus''&nbsp;(Brusina,&nbsp;1892) 
''caucasica''&nbsp;(Kolenati,&nbsp;1858) 
''dalmatinus''&nbsp;(Wagner,&nbsp;1841) 
''hadramauticus''&nbsp;(Noack,&nbsp;1896) 
''kola''&nbsp;(Wroughton,&nbsp;1916) 
''lanka''&nbsp;(Wroughton,&nbsp;1916) 
''typicus''&nbsp;(Kolenati,&nbsp;1858) 
''vulgaris''&nbsp;(Wagner,&nbsp;1841)
|-
! scope="row" | ''C. a. cruesemanni'' Siamese jackal
[[File:Golden Jackal, Canis aureus in Huai Kha Khaeng.jpg|150 px]]
|[[Paul Matschie|Matschie]], 1900<ref name=matschie1900/>
|Smaller than ''C. a. indicus'', its status as a separate subspecies has been disputed by some authors who state that its classification is based solely on observations of captive animals.<ref name=lekagul1988/>
|East India to [[Myanmar]] and [[Thailand]]<ref name=kebede2017/>
|
|-
! scope="row" | ''C. a. ecsedensis'' Pannonian jackal
|Kretzoi, 1947<ref name=kretzoi1947/>
|The Pannonian jackal differs from Dalmatian jackals (''C.{{nbsp}}a. moreoticus'') by possessing a wider black dorsal strip which extends to the flanks. Its brown tones are less expressed and its tail is almost perfectly black. The cranial measurements are identical.<ref name=krystufek1990/> Some authors do not regard it as a separate subspecies but believe it to be ''C.{{nbsp}}a. moreoticus'' because the discovered specimen was living in a zoo and no jackals were permanently living in Hungary at that time.<ref name=heptner140/><ref name=szunyoghy1957/>
|[[Pannonian Basin]], [[Central Europe]]<ref name=krystufek1990/>
|''hungaricus''&nbsp;(Ehik,&nbsp;1938) ''minor'' (Mojsisovico, 1897)<ref name=ellerman1966/>
|-
! scope="row" | ''C. a. indicus'' Indian jackal
[[File:Camera Conscious (cropped).jpg|150 px]]
|[[Brian Houghton Hodgson|Hodgson]], 1833<ref name=hodgson1833/>
|Its fur is a mixture of black and white, with buff on the shoulders, ears and legs. The buff color is more pronounced in specimens from high altitudes. Black hairs predominate on the middle of the back and tail. The belly, chest and the sides of the legs are creamy white, while the face and lower flanks are grizzled with gray fur. Adults grow to a length of {{convert|100|cm|abbr=on}}, {{convert|35|–|45|cm|abbr=on}} in height and {{convert|8|–|11|kg|abbr=on}} in weight.<ref name=shreshta1997/>
|[[Nepal]], [[Sikhim]], [[Bhutan]], [[Assam]], [[Burma]], [[Thailand]]<ref name=heptner140/>
|
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[European jackal|C. a. moreoticus]]'' European jackal
[[File:Klára Pyšková et al. ZooKeys 641 151–163 (2016) Golden jackal 2 (cropped).png|150 px]]
|[[Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire|I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire]], 1835<ref name=geoffroy1835/>
|The largest golden jackal subspecies, animals of both sexes average {{convert|120|–|125|cm|abbr=on}} in total length and {{convert|10|–|15|kg|abbr=on}} in body weight.<ref name=lapini2003/><ref name=giannatos2004/> The fur is coarse, and is generally brightly colored with blackish tones on the back. The thighs, upper legs, ears and forehead are bright-reddish chestnut.<ref name=heptner140/>
|Southeastern Europe, Moldova, Asia Minor and Caucasus<ref name=heptner140/>
|''graecus'' (Wagner, 1841)
|-
! scope="row" | ''[[Sri Lankan jackal|C. a. naria]] ''Sri Lankan jackal
[[File:Flickr - Rainbirder - Golden Jackal.jpg|150 px]]
|[[R. C. Wroughton|Wroughton]], 1916<ref name=wroughton1916/>
|Measures {{convert|67|-|74|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length and weighs {{convert|5|-|8.6|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. The winter coat is shorter, smoother and not as shaggy as that of ''indicus''. The coat is also darker on the back, being black and speckled with white. The underside is more pigmented on the chin, hind throat, chest and forebelly, while the limbs are rusty ochreous or a rich tan. Moulting occurs earlier in the season than with ''indicus'', and the pelt generally does not lighten in color.<ref name=pocock1941/>
|Southern India, [[Sri Lanka]]<ref name=heptner140/>
|''lanka'' (Wroughton, 1838)
|-
! scope="row" | ''C. a. syriacus'' Syrian jackal
[[File:Canis aureus syriacus Yarkon Park 1.jpg|150 px]]
|[[Wilhelm Friedrich Hemprich|Hemprich and Ehrenberg]], 1833<ref name=hemprich1833/>
|Distinguished by its brown ears. The body fur is a yellow on the back, lighter on the sides, and whitish-yellow underneath.<ref name=smith1839/> A dark band runs from the nose to the end of the tail. Measures {{convert|60|-|90|cm|in|abbr=on}} in body length, {{convert|20|-|30|cm|in|abbr=on}} in tail length, {{convert|15|-|18|cm|in|abbr=on}} in head length, and weighs {{convert|5|-|12|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name=qumsiyeh1996/>
|[[Israel]], [[Syria]],<ref name=heptner140/> [[Lebanon]],<ref name=qumsiyeh1996/> and western [[Jordan]]<ref name=kebede2017/>
|
|}

The jackal [[Moulting|moults]] twice a year, in spring and in autumn. In Transcaucasia and [[Tajikistan]], the spring moult begins at the end of winter. If the winter has been warm, the spring moult starts in the middle of February; if the winter has been cold, it begins in the middle of March. The spring moult lasts for 60–65 days; if the animal is sick, it loses only half of its winter fur. The spring moult commences with the head and limbs, extends to the flanks, chest, belly and rump, and ends at the tail. Fur on the underparts is absent. The autumn moult occurs from mid-September with the growth of winter fur; the shedding of the summer fur occurs at the same time. The development of the autumn coat starts with the rump and tail and spreads to the back, flanks, belly, chest, limbs and head, with full winter fur being attained at the end of November.<ref name=heptner156/>

In [[South Asia]] the golden jackal inhabits Afghanistan,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Bangladesh,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Bhutan,<ref name=jhala2004/> India,<ref name=jhala2004/> Nepal,<ref name=jhala2004/> Pakistan,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> and Sri Lanka.<ref name=wozencraft2005/> In Central Asia it inhabits Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.<ref name=wozencraft2005/> In Southeast Asia it inhabits Myanmar and Thailand.<ref name=wozencraft2005/> There have been two reported sightings from Cambodia, three from southern Laos, and two from Vietnam{{snd}}each sighting made only in lowland, open deciduous forest, and no specimens were presented.<ref name=duckworth1998/> In Southwestern Asia it inhabits Iran,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Iraq,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Israel,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Jordan,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Kuwait,<ref name=jhala2004/> Lebanon,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Oman,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Saudi Arabia,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Qatar,<ref name=jhala2004/> Syria,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Turkey,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> United Arab Emirates,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> and Yemen.<ref name=wozencraft2005/> In Europe it inhabits Albania,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Armenia,<ref name=trouwborst2015/> Austria,<ref name=jhala2004/> Azerbaijan,<ref name=trouwborst2015/> Bosnia and Herzegovina,<ref name=jhala2004/> Bulgaria,<ref name=jhala2004/> Croatia,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Estonia,<ref name=krofel2017/> Georgia,<ref name=trouwborst2015/> Greece,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Hungary,<ref name=krofel2017/> Italy,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Kosovo,<ref name=trouwborst2015/> Latvia,<ref name=krofel2017/> Lithuania,<ref name=krofel2017/> Macedonia,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Moldova,<ref name=trouwborst2015/> Montenegro,<ref name=trouwborst2015/> Poland,<ref name=krofel2017/> Romania,<ref name=krofel2017/> the Russian Federation,<ref name=trouwborst2015/> Serbia,<ref name=krofel2017/> Slovakia,<ref name=arnold2012/> Slovenia,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> Switzerland,<ref name=krofel2017/> Turkey,<ref name=wozencraft2005/> and the Ukraine.<ref name=krofel2017/> It has been sighted in Belarus,<ref name=trouwborst2015/> the Czech Republic,<ref name=koubek2007/> and Germany.<ref name=krofel2017/> It has been reported in the media in Denmark.<ref name=christian2015/><ref name=ray2016/> It has also been reported in the media in the Netherlands but it is unclear if this jackal was an escapee from a private zoo.<ref name=dutchnews2016/>

The golden jackal's [[omnivore|omnivorous diet]] allows it to eat a large range of foods; this diet, together with its tolerance of dry conditions, enables it to live in different habitats. The jackal's long legs and lithe body allow it to trot over great distances in search of food. It is able to go without water for extended periods and has been observed on islands that have no fresh water.<ref name=jhala2004/> Jackals are abundant in valleys and along rivers and their tributaries, canals, lakes, and seashores, but are rare in foothills and low mountains. In Central Asia they avoid waterless deserts and cannot be found in the [[Karakum Desert]] nor the [[Kyzylkum Desert]], but can be found at their edges or in [[oasis|oases]].<ref name=heptner141/> On the other hand, in India they can be found living in the [[Thar Desert]].<ref name=jhala2008/> They are found in dense thickets of prickly bushes, reed flood-lands and forests. They have been known to ascend over {{convert|1000|m|ft|abbr=on}} up the slopes of the [[Himalayas]]; they can withstand temperatures as low as {{convert|-25|C|F|abbr=on}} and sometimes {{convert|-35|C|F|abbr=on}}. They are not adapted to snow, and in snow country they must travel along paths made by larger animals or humans. In India, they will occupy the surrounding foothills above arable areas,<ref name=heptner141/> entering human settlements at night to feed on garbage, and have established themselves around hill stations at {{convert|2000|m|ft|abbr=on}} [[height above mean sea level]].<ref name=jhala2004/> They generally avoid mountainous forests, but may enter alpine and sub-alpine areas during dispersal. In Turkey, the Caucasus, and Transcaucasia they have been observed up to {{convert|1000|m|ft|abbr=on}} above mean sea level, particularly in areas where the climate supports shrublands in high elevations.<ref name=lapini2003/>

In the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, golden jackals primarily hunt [[hare]]s and [[mouse]]-like rodents, and also [[pheasant]]s, [[francolin]]s, [[duck]]s, [[coot]]s, [[moorhen]]s, and [[passerine]]s. Vegetable matter eaten by jackals in these areas includes fruits, such as [[pear]]s, [[Crataegus|hawthorn]], [[dogwood]], and the cones of [[common medlar]]s. The jackal is implicated in the destruction of [[grape]], [[watermelon]], [[muskmelon]], and [[nut (fruit)|nut]] crops. Near the [[Vakhsh River]], their spring diet consists almost exclusively of plant bulbs and the roots of wild [[sugar cane]], while during winter they feed on [[Elaeagnus angustifolia|wild stony olives]]. Around the edges of the [[Karakum Desert]], jackals feed on [[gerbil]]s, [[lizard]]s, [[snake]]s, [[fish]], [[muskrat]]s, the fruits of wild stony olives, [[mulberry]], dried [[apricot]]s, watermelons, muskmelons, [[tomato]]es, and grapes.<ref name=heptner147/>

Golden jackals are monogamous and will remain with the one partner until death.<ref name=heptner154/> Female jackals have only one breeding cycle each year. Breeding occurs from October to March in Israel and from February to March in India, Turkmenistan,<ref name=jhala2004/> Bulgaria, and Transcaucasia, with the mating period lasting up to 26–28 days. Females undergoing their first estrus are often pursued by several males that may quarrel among themselves.<ref name=heptner154/> Mating results in a copulatory tie that lasts for several minutes, as it does with all other canids. Gestation lasts 63 days, and the timing of the births coincides with the annual abundance of food.<ref name=jhala2004/>

In India, the golden jackal will take over the dens of the [[Bengal fox]] and the [[Indian crested porcupine]], and will use abandoned gray wolf dens.<ref name=jhala2004/> Most breeding pairs are spaced well apart and maintain a core territory around their dens. Den excavations commence from late April to May in India, with dens located in scrub areas. Rivulets, gullies, and road and check-dam embankments are prime denning habitats. Drainage pipes and culverts have been used as dens. Dens are {{convert|2–3|m|ft|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|0.5–1|m|ft|abbr=on}} deep, with between 1–3 openings. Young pups can be moved between 2–4 dens.<ref name=jhala2004/> The male helps with digging the den and raising the pups.<ref name=heptner154/> In the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, the burrow is located either in thick shrub, on the slopes of gullies, or on flat surfaces. In [[Dagestan]] and [[Azerbaijan]], litters are sometimes located within the hollows of fallen trees, among tree roots, and under stones on river banks. In Central Asia, the golden jackal does not dig burrows but constructs lairs in dense [[tugai]] thickets. Jackals in the tugais and cultivated lands of Tajikistan construct lairs in long grass, shrubs, and reed openings.<ref name=heptner151/>

In Transcaucasia, golden jackal pups are born from late March to late April,<ref name=heptner154/> and in northeastern Italy during late April;<ref name=lapini2003/> they can be born at any time of year in Nepal.<ref name=shreshta1997/> The number of pups born in a single litter varies geographically. Jackals in Transcaucasia give birth to 3–8 pups, Tajikistan 3–7 pups, [[Uzbekistan]] 2–8 pups, and Bulgaria 4–7 pups; in India the average is four pups.<ref name=heptner154/> The pups are born with closed eyes that open after 8–11 days, with the ears erecting after 10–13 days.<ref name=heptner156/> Their teeth erupt at 11 days after birth,<ref name=jhala2004/> and the eruption of [[adult dentition]] is completed after five months. Pups are born with soft fur that ranges in color from light gray to dark brown. At the age of one month, their fur is shed and replaced with a new reddish-colored pelt with black speckles. The pups have a fast growth rate and weigh {{convert|0.201|–|0.214|kg|lb|abbr=on}} at two days of age, {{convert|0.560|–|0.726|kg|lb|abbr=on}} at one month, and {{convert|2.700|–|3.250|kg|lb|abbr=on}} at four months.<ref name=heptner156/> Females possess four pairs of teats, and [[lactation]] lasts for up to 8–10 weeks.<ref name=jhala2004/> The pups begin to eat meat at the age of 15–20 days.<ref name=heptner156/>

Pack-hunting of [[langurs]] is recorded in India. Packs of between 5 and 18 jackals scavenging on the carcasses of large ungulates is recorded in India and Israel.<ref name=jhala2004/> Packs of 8–12 jackals consisting of more than one family have been observed in the summer periods in Transcaucasia.<ref name=heptner152/> In India, the [[Montagu's harrier]] and the [[Pallid harrier]] roost in their hundreds in grasslands during their winter migration. Jackals stalk close to these roosting harriers and then rush at them, attempting to catch one before the harriers can take off or gain sufficient height to escape.<ref name=jhala2004/>

===Cooperation===
In Southeastern Asia, golden jackals have been known to hunt alongside [[dhole]] packs.<ref name=lekagul1988/> They have been observed in the [[Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar]], India, following [[Indian wolves]] (''Canis lupus pallipes'') when these are on a hunt, and they will scavenge off wolf kills without any hostility shown from these wolves.<ref name=jhala2004/> In India, lone jackals expelled from their pack have been known to form [[Commensalism|commensal relationships]] with [[tiger]]s. These solitary jackals, known as ''kol-bahl'', will associate themselves with a particular tiger, trailing it at a safe distance to feed on the big cat's kills. A ''kol-bahl'' will even alert a tiger to prey with a loud "pheal". Tigers have been known to tolerate these jackals, with one report describing how a jackal confidently walked in and out between three tigers walking together.<ref name=pocock1941b/><ref name=perry1965/> Golden jackals and wild boar can occupy the same territory.<ref name=giannatos2004/>

The jackal's competitors are the red fox, wolf, jungle cat, forest wildcat, and raccoon in the Caucasus, and the steppe wildcat in Central Asia.<ref name=heptner156/> Wolves dominate jackals, and jackals dominate foxes.<ref name=giannatos2004/> In 2017 in Iran, an Indian wolf under study killed a golden jackal.<ref name=mohammadi2017/> In Europe, the range of wolves and jackals is mutually exclusive, with jackals abandoning their territory with the arrival of a wolf pack. One experiment used loudspeakers to broadcast the calls of jackals, and this attracted wolves at a trotting pace to chase away the perceived competitors. Dogs responded to these calls in the same way while barking aggressively. Unleashed dogs have been observed to immediately chase away jackals when the jackals were detected.<ref name=giannatos2004/> In Europe, there are an estimated 12,000 wolves. The jackal's recent expansion throughout eastern and western Europe has been attributed to the extermination of the local wolf populations. The present diffusion of the jackal into the northern Adriatic hinterland is in areas where the wolf is absent or very rare.<ref name=krofel2017/><ref name=lapini2009/> In the past, jackals competed with tigers and leopards, feeding on the remains of their kills and, in one case, on a dead tiger. Leopards once hunted jackals, but today the leopard is rare and the tiger is extinct in the jackal's range.<ref name=heptner156/>

The golden jackal is listed as [[Least Concern]] on the [[IUCN Red List]] due to its widespread distribution, with it being common throughout its range and with high densities in those areas where food and shelter are abundant.<ref name=jhala2008/> In Europe, golden jackals are not listed under the 1973 ''[[CITES|Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora]]'' nor the 1979 [[Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals]]. Golden jackals in Europe fall under various international legal instruments. These include the 1979 ''[[Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats]]'', the ''[[1992 Convention on Biological Diversity]]'', and the 1992 European Union ''[[Habitats Directive|Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora]]''. The Council Directive provides both guidance and limits on what participating governments can do when responding to the arrival of expanding jackals. These legislative instruments aim to contribute to conserving native wildlife; some governments argue that the golden jackal is not native wildlife but an invading species.<ref name=trouwborst2015/> The Golden Jackal informal study Group in Europe (GOJAGE) is an organization that is formed by researchers from across Europe to collect and share information on the golden jackal in Europe. The group also has an interest in the golden jackal's relationship with its environment across Eurasia. Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in golden jackals.<ref name=gojage2017/>

Some golden jackals carry diseases and parasites harmful to human health. These include [[rabies]], and [[Leishmania donovani|Donovan's ''Leishmania'']] that is harmless to jackals but may cause [[leishmaniasis]] in people. Jackals in southwestern Tajikistan can carry up to 16 species of parasitic [[cestode]]s (flatworm), [[roundworm]]s, and [[acanthocephala]]ns (thorny-headed worms), these being: ''[[Sparganosis|Sparganum mansoni]]'', ''[[Diphyllobothrium mansonoides]]'', ''[[Taenia hydatigena]]'', ''[[Taenia pisiformis|T.{{nbsp}}pisiformis]]'', ''T.{{nbsp}}ovis'', ''[[Hydatigera taeniaeformis]]'', ''[[Dipylidium caninum]]'', ''Mesocestoides lineatus'', ''[[Ancylostoma caninum]]'', ''[[Uncinaria stenocephala]]'', ''[[Dioctophyma renale]]'', ''[[Toxocara canis]]'', ''[[Toxascaris leonina]]'', ''[[Dracunculus medinensis]]'', ''Filariata'' and ''Macracanthorhynchus catulinum''. Jackals infected with ''[[Dracunculus medinensis]]'' can infect bodies of water with their eggs, which cause [[dracunculiasis]] in people who drink from them. Jackals may also play a large part in spreading [[coenurosis]] in sheep and cattle, and [[canine distemper]] in dogs. In Tajikistan, jackals may carry up to 12 [[tick]] species (which include ''[[Ixodes]]'', ''[[Rhipicephalus]] turanicus'', ''R.{{nbsp}}leporis'', ''R.{{nbsp}}rossicus'', ''[[Rhipicephalus sanguineus|R. sanguineus]]'', ''R.{{nbsp}}pumilio'', ''R.{{nbsp}}schulzei'', ''[[Hyalomma]] anatolicum'', ''H.{{nbsp}}scupense'' and ''H.{{nbsp}} asiaticum''), four [[flea]] species (''[[Pulex irritans]]'', ''Xenopsylla nesokiae'', ''[[Dog flea|Ctenocephanlides canis]]'' and ''[[Ctenocephalides felis|C.{{nbsp}}felis]]''), and one species of [[louse]] (''Trichodectes canis'').<ref name=heptner158/>

Some indigenous people of India, such as the [[Koli people|Kolis]] and Vaghirs of [[Gujarat]] and [[Rajasthan]] and the [[Narikurava]]s in [[Tamil Nadu]], hunt and eat golden jackals, but the majority of South Asian cultures consider the animal to be unclean. The orthodox ''[[dharma]]'' texts forbid the eating of jackals because they have five nails.<ref name=geer2008/> In the area of the [[former Soviet Union]], jackals are not actively hunted and are usually captured only incidentally during the hunting of other animals by means of traps or shooting during drives. In Transcaucasia, jackals are captured with large fishing hooks baited with meat and suspended {{convert|75|-|100|cm|in|abbr=on}} from the ground with wire. The jackals can only reach the meat by jumping, and are then hooked by the lip or jaw.<ref name=heptner160/>

===Fur use===
In Russia and the other nations of the former Soviet Union, golden jackals are considered furbearers of low quality because of their sparse, coarse, and monotonously colored fur.<ref name=heptner160/> Jackal hairs have very little fur fiber; therefore, their pelts have a flat appearance. The jackals of Asia and the Middle East produce the coarsest pelts, though this can be remedied during the [[Fur clothing#Processing of fur|dressing]] process. [[Elburz]] in northern Iran produces the softest furs.<ref name=bachrach1953/> Jackal skins are not graded to a fur standard, and are made into collars, women's coats, and fur coats. During the 1880s, 200 jackals were captured annually in Mervsk and in the Zakatal area of the Transcaucasus, with 300 jackals being captured there during 1896. In this same period, a total of 10,000 jackals were taken within Russia and their furs sent exclusively to the [[Nizhegorod]] fair. In the early 1930s there were 20,000–25,000 jackal skins tanned annually in the Soviet Union, but these could not be utilized within the country, and so the majority were exported to the United States. Commencing from 1949, they were all used within the Soviet Union.<ref name=heptner160/>

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{{DEFAULTSORT:jackal, golden}}
[[Category:Golden jackal| ]]
[[Category:Carnivorans of Asia]]
[[Category:Carnivorans of Europe]]
[[Category:Mammals of South Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Southeast Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Southwest Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of the Middle East]]
[[Category:Mammals of India]]
[[Category:Mammals of Turkmenistan]]
[[Category:Jackals|Golden jackal]]
[[Category:Least concern biota of Asia]]
[[Category:Least concern biota of Europe]]
[[Category:Extant Late Pleistocene first appearances|Golden jackal]]
[[Category:Pleistocene mammals of Asia|Golden jackal]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1758|golden jackal]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]