New data on golden jackal in Slovakia

On 24th-26th of November in Nitra, Slovakia, took place ZOOLOGIA 2016 congress and there were presented new interesting data on jackal numbers evolution in Slovakia during the last 2-3 decades. Despite the unclear and not explained methodology of recent estimations (alive population in 2015 was as being of 90 individuals according to guess and eye estimation of possible local rangers sightings or reports) data of this report show that jackals are having difficulties in establish survival populations in the region. The harvested last bag data reached 10 individuals (harvest data evolution in the last 20 years). For now, is not clear if in Slovakia the vagrant individuals could establish territorial groups or these reports are coming from accidental culling when hunting is performed to other game species. Nuno Guimarães, the main author of this communication, from Department of Biology and Ecology Matej Bel University started an intensive survey on jackal specific ecological systems and is planning to do BAM in key areas together with colleagues from GOJAGE Austria to find out if the existing few jackal individuals are able to survive in the complex and complete with congeneric species environment. ABSTRACT HERE.

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