Jackal population increases in Italy

by Luca Lapini

A complete analysis of the data at 10-years intervals reveal that its current range is increasing, particularly in the last decade (2005-2015). The overall data indicates that the expansion waves of jackals in Italy are influenced by the already known expansion phases of the species in Europe, but in the last years the populations of north-eastern Italy turned out to be an autonomous source of expansion, thanks both (first) to some long-lasting populations of the Karst of Gorizia and (second) to the formation of new groups dwelling in the centre of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (Pordenone Province). A poster including new data was presented in Viterbo Italy during the 

X CONGRESSO ITALIANO DI TERIOLOGIA 

Teatro Boni - Acquapendente (VT) 20-23 Aprile 2016

Evolution and trends of the populations of Canis aureus moreoticus in Italy (here)

Luca Lapini, Mauro Caldana & Giovanni Amori

Lack of jackal competitors in Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, India

Aakriti Singh et al published new research regarding food availability and lack of competition in jackal specific ecological systems from Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan. The work was published on-line on 21st of March 2016 in Mammal Research ISSN: 2199-2401 (Print) 2199-241X (Online).

Using distance sampling method the authors found a density of 14.84 individuals/km2 (5 territorial groups). The authors concluded that the lack of any major competitor and high food resource availability has led to a several fold increase in the population size of golden jackal in a span of 3 decades.

The human activity is high in surroundings of the park (more than 15 villages), inside the park are a lot of ferral cattle which seems to have some effect on the density of jackals. 

In the close future Keoladeo National Park will represent one of the prefered study areas for Crispus NGO Sibiu Romania and GOJAGE when holistic approach of jackal specific ecological systems will be assessed. As we mentioned in previous post (here) bioacoustic monitoring (BAM) is preferable to be performed in this protected natural area in order to compare data with the actual jackal density estimations obtained by distance sampling method.

Jackal in Netherlands?

Golden Jackal C3 Category, first report in Netherlands

Few days ago GOJAGE received the news of a possible jackal in Netherlands. This report was analyzed by Crispus NGO Sibiu Romania with the key-analysis using the new GOJAGE Guidlines. The full report and story here.

New GOJAGE Expert Criteria for new jackal reports assessment

Assessment of golden jackal species (Canis aureus, L.1758) records in natural areas out of their known historic range

Technical Report: GOJAGE  Criteria and Guidelines

12 of February 2016  GOJAGE e-Bulletin

by 

Jennifer HATLAUF, Ovidiu C. BANEA, Luca LAPINI

2016 © GOJAGE

FREE DOWNLOAD OF TECHNICAL REPORT CLICK HERE

Golden jackals show an increasing long-distance dispersal from their known historic geographic range into new areas (Rutkowski et al. 2015). Only in the last years, single golden jackal individuals were reported in Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany or Denmark and a survival cluster of 5 territorial groups (Männil 2016, pers. comm.) is monitored in West Estonia. 

The known historic range of the golden jackal species including large parts of Eurasia and Africa was recently reconsidered since the results of new genetic studies suggest that African golden jackals merit recognition as a full species, as they meet the primary defining criterion of a separate and independently evolving metapopulation lineage (Rueness et al. 2011; Gaubert et al. 2012; Koepfli et al. 2015). Accordingly, it was proposed that the common names ‘‘African golden wolf’’ (Canis anthus) and ‘‘Eurasian golden jackal’’ (Canis aureus) be applied to distinguish these taxa, and to distinguish the former from the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis). The African golden wolf is distributed across Africa and includes individuals that have been referred to as Canis lupus lupaster or Canis aureus, sensu lato. Morphologic parallelism of African golden wolves and Eurasian golden jackals may have resulted in their mistaken attribution to a single species (Koepfli et al. 2015). 

Over the past two decades evidences northward and westward of the known historic range, mostly the Balkan area, were recorded (Kryštufek et al. 1997; Arnold et al. 2011). The native and naturally colonized range of golden jackals in Europe include now Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Moldova, Ukraine, Turkey, Caucasus countries, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Denmark. Central and South-East Europe have now a very important role in the golden jackal species conservation since the European or Caucasian golden jackal (Canis aureus moreoticus, I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1835) is known as having its main populations in Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary and Romania.

The main problem in assessing golden jackal proof in new areas is inexperience due to the novelty and rareness of these situations to this point. This report aims to establish common criteria within European countries and abroad for golden jackal species new records that are reported in areas within naturally colonized range.

FULL REPORT HERE

Direct and indirect methods used by GOJAGE

GOJAGE CRITERIA

Distinction of golden jackal (Canis aureus, L. 1758) evidences   

GOJAGE GUIDELINES

Master's Thesis from Austria

Master's Thesis 

by Jennifer Hatlauf, 2015

In recent years, the golden jackal (Canis aureus) is gaining attention in Central Europe and increased evidence confirms its distribution, also towards Austria. From the originating countries of the Balkans it expands its area in a natural way (Schwarz, 2013). Previous studies show a large habitat plasticity, which leads to the question whether the golden jackal will be able to find permanently suitable habitat in Austria.

As a result of a literature review this masterthesis presents the summary of identified factors that may play a crucial role in habitat selection of the golden jackal. Despite its generalistic nature, close to its opportunistic choice of food and its adaptability, it is possible to discern trends in its habitat selection: access here.

RoHilac BioStars, applied ecology in jackal specific ecological systems of Romania

RoHilac BioStars        Romania 2016-2020

The "biologic lights" of the night

by Ovidiu C. Banea
Barcelona 9th of February 2016

Age determination, stomach content analysis, parasitology, genetic studies, ecological factors responsible of jackal density studied with bioacoustic monitoring, IR and motion sensor video cameras, dynamic of clusters in target areas will all consitute the holistic approach of jackal ecology and behavior in natural areas from Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, protected natural areas and hunting terrains from Romania during the next 4 years. RoHilac BioStars is a technical plan which will include several projects. Finally, we aim to understand and act better on jackal specific ecological systems using the principles of applied ecology and to contribute to a Conservation Action Plan of jackal species in Romania. (Here full story and photoreport of CERNICA 2016)

Jackal stomach (16 specimens)

Age determination by pulp cavity-tooth width ratio (first used in analyzing the age of a young jackal female together with zoologist Peep Männil in Matsalu National Park, West Estonia during Baltica 2013) and dentine cementum layers counting on 14 jackals (this method and a combination of the former with the layers counting, was first used in jackals by Ovidiu C. Banea on 8th of February 2016) .

The above photo coresponds to three jackal upper canine analysis. The determinated age of the left specimen was estimated at 34 months, in middle the upper canine belongs to a 24 months old jackal and the right upper canine belongs to a 10 months old jackal.

Pulp-cavity/Tooth width ratio in lower right canine (one jackal studied in Estonia by Peep Männil & Ovidiu Banea 2013, O. Banea 2016). The best for analysis as reflected in available literature for other canids is the upper canine. In the analysis was used pulp-cavity/tooth width ratios and cemmentum layers counting for 14 upper canines from legally removed jackals in southern Romania during January 2016.

Team of Cernica, first RoHilac BioStars non-finnanced activity, organized by AGVPS (from left to the right): Prof Dr Călin Gherman (USAMV Cluj-Napoca), DVM Angela M. Ionică (USAMV Cluj-Napoca), Eng Dr Vladimir Talpes (AGVPS), Ecol MSc Ovidiu Banea (Crispus NGO), Eng Dr Neculai Selaru (AGVPS)

A jackal is checked for ocular dirofilariasis by PhD candidate Angela M. Ionică (USAMV Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

Jackal possible ecological factor during winters in South Romania

Age determination by dentine cemmentum layers counting in golden jackal species, method first time used for age determination of jackals on 8th of February 2016. The method will be used within the project to evaluate the structure of population clusters from targeted study areas. This tool together with BAM will help us to determine the years with lower jackal offsprings in order to assess conservation and management plan at local levels.

The technical plan named RoHilac BioStars will be implemented by Ecology Department of Crispus NGO Sibiu (Environmental Ecologist MSc. Ovidiu C-tin Banea, designer of RoHilac BioStars technical plan) together with General Association of Hunters and Sports Fishermen from Romania (GAHSF) and University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca.

Cristian-Remus Papp, during Sistem 2012, jackal habitat autumn wildlife survey, Photo: O. Banea

International golden jackal species experts Dr Duško Ćirović (Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia), Dr Nikolai Spassov (National History Museum, Sofia Bulgaria) and Dr Giorgos Giannatos (Department of Zoology - Marine Biology, School of Biology, University of Athens, Greece) will be involved in this project.

First activity was already performed in base of a cooperation protocol between Ecology Department of Crispus NGO and GAHSF. 17 golden jackals and 4 foxes were analyzed near Bucharest.
Other projects within RoHilac BioStars technical plan will be organized by Crispus NGO and other NGOs or Environmental Board authorities like WWF Romania, ARBDD (DDBRA), etc.

Full story, RoHilac BioStars technical plan disclosure and photoreport of Cernica 2016 first broader activity of jackal ecology assessment together with Eng Dr. Neculai Selaru (AGVPS) and Prof. Dr. Calin Gherman (USAMV Cluj-Napoca) here (aici).

JACKAL IS NOT AN INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES

NEWS ALERT GOJAGE

Light at the end of the tunnel! 

Golden jackals are on the focus of the EU Environmental Policies

by Wieslaw Bogdanowicz & Ovidiu C. Banea

The authors of the recent study by Rutkowski R, Krofel M, Giannatos G, Ćirović D, Männil P, Volokh AM, et al. (2015) named A European Concern? Genetic Structure and Expansion of Golden Jackals (Canis aureus) in Europe and the Caucasus and published in PLoS ONE  recommend that the golden jackal should be monitored and its favourable conservation status ensured in all Member States within the current species range. The authors suggest developing cross-boundary strategies for management and documents like those developed for Europe’s other large carnivores.

Now, based in this Original Article, the EU published a report on their weekly Science for Environment Policy News Alert, Issue 443, 21 January 2016 in which explained the legal situation and the reasons to do not consider jackals an invasive alien species.