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jackal and carcass
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
During our trip to Kgalagadi in April after good rain in the area (about 25 mm)we came across a large number of carcasses such as this one. We were told that during the exceptionally dry season just previous to this a large number of animals especially Eland had moved from Botswana to this area in search of water. By the time they reached the water holes here they were in a bad state and then drank too much water and actually burst their stomachs. I do not know if this is true but the predators here were probably glad. Taken near midday under harsh light conditions to accentute the situation.
Black-backed Jackal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas), also known as the Silver-backed Jackal is a mammal of the order Carnivora. The Black-backed Jackal inhabits two areas of the African continent separated by roughly 900 kilometers. One region includes the southern-most tip of the continent including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. The other area is along the eastern coastline, including Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia.
Description
The fossil record indicates that the Black-backed Jackal is the oldest member of the genus Canis.
As its name suggests, the species' most distinguishing feature is the silver-black fur running from the back of the neck to the base of the tail. The chest and under parts are white to rusty-white, whereas the rest of the body ranges from reddish brown to ginger. Females tend not to be as richly colored as males, like many other animals, such as ducks. The winter coat of adult males develops a reddish to an almost deep russet red color.
The Black-backed Jackal is typically 14-19 inches (32–42 centimeters) high at the shoulder, 45-90 centimeters (18-36 inches) long and 15–30 pounds (7–13.5 kilograms) in weight. Specimens in the southern part of the continent tend to be larger than their more northern cousins.
The Black-backed Jackal is noticeably more slender than other species of jackals, with large, erect, pointed ears. The muzzle is long and pointed. The dental formula is 3/3-1/1-4/4-2/3=42.
Scent glands are present on the face and the anus and genital regions. The Black-backed Jackal has 6-8 mammae. |
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Hello Robin,
The smiley is for the content and the story.
The image is a bit soft and out of focus. Compo, POV, et cetera = okay. Whether an out of focus image is good or bad is a personal matter.
Greetings and TFS
Annick
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