Jackal

The jackal (Canis aureus) is smaller than a true wolf and has a shorter tail. It resembles a fox but has a wider head, shorter ears, and longer legs. Unlike solitary foxes, jackals are social. Their tails can be either drooping or upright, unlike the fox's long, horizontal tail. Jackals hunt at night and sleep during the day in areas with thick bushes or plants. They hunt alone, in pairs, or in groups. They live in open grasslands and plains with few trees. Jackals eat small mammals, poultry, fruit, vegetables, and carrion. Often, they scavenge from larger meat-eaters. Jackals can run up to 53 kilometers (33 miles) per hour.

The jackal can grow to around 51 centimeters (20 inches) tall, roughly the size of a German shepherd dog. Its back is pale yellow with dark, almost black, flanks. Its lips are black and its ears are white on the inside. The jackal's howl sounds like a crying child or a mourning person's wail (Micah 1:8; compare Job 30:29). To other jackals, the howl is an invite to hunt. It calls the pack together for its nightly hunt.

Old Testament references are mainly to jackals in ruined cities and wilderness areas (Nehemiah 2:13; Psalm 44:19; Isaiah 13:22; 34:13; 35:7; Jeremiah 9:11; 14:6; 49:33; 51:37; Lamentations 4:3; 5:18; Malachi 1:3). Many of these references are translated “dragon” in the King James Version, but “jackal” is more appropriate.

See also Animals.