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When working in Kruger, I rarely saw jackals anywhere other than the S28, but definitely lots of sightings- a few side-striped too

We were in Kruger over December and saw plenty of Jackal just north of Satara. Then on the S39 one caught a mongoose in the road in front of us.

Just outside of Orpen on the H7 there were also a whole family with quite a few babies playing next to the raod.

True, true!
Plenty Jackal, Steenbokkies and lions around Satara! That is their sort of habitat
Interestingly, I have struggled to see hyena in the Kruger in general.
However we had plenty of hyena sightings in December around satara
around the fene at camp
in the drainage pipe on the H6 East of Satara
on the S39 going to Timbavati West of Satara
At the Nyamarhi waterhole North of Satara.

I suppose I just had my hyena luck recently And I think that is the case with Jackal sightings too! They are common sightings on the H7, S106, s127, s90, H1-4

Can't recall Jackal sightings in the South or the North

We used to see lots of Jackal at the Orpen/Tamboti area about 10 years ago. There was a family and one of the regulars had only one eye and he was quite tame. I also haven't seen Jackal in Kruger for years.

Just spent a week up at Pafuri. 15 jackals in nine sightings, all black-backed.

Johan

We haven't seen jackals for the last 10 trips... between 2010 and 2011. Still planning our trips for this year! Hopefully we get lucky!!

Hi Jackyr

I love jackals - they are so wily. I have seen both Black-backed and Side-striped Jackals in Kruger but never more than 1 or 2 at a time. Usually rounding a corner there is one running ahead in the road but they always vanish quickly. I think you are more likely to see them if there is as lion kill as they are the 'hangers on' waiting to dash in for a bit.
It is true that in KTP they much more in evidence especially at Nossob waterhole. We sat in the hide the first evening watching 4 of them catching big moths under the flood lights. The second evening we got back from our drive and could hear them making a racket. When we got to the hide they were giving 2 leopards a hard time and finally drove them off!

I can't get enough jackals and also hyenas which I also rarely see in KNP. Not that I am complaining because as far as I am concerned I love everything I am lucky enough to see - big or small! It is all part of the experience.

Regards,

DASSIEDELIGHT

Jackals, like Wild Dog do far better in dryer years. Wild Dog populations are directly influenced by wet and dry weather. As we are going through a wet period, numbers in the whols park are around the 200 mark.

I once saw 32 different Jackal populations on a single drive from Phalaborwa to Letaba around 2004 I think. We have created a Super Jackal; he wont disappear i assure you.

Black-backed jackals are either very common, or at least commonly seen early morning and late afternoon, along the H1-8 between the two sets of (hideously ugly!) power lines.

Johan

As a day visitor, I have not seen a jackal for a while!! they normally come out just after we leave. two years back i went on a game drive, and only saw a fleeting shot of a jackel. on the other hand, we did see the African Wild cat, and millions of small and large spotted genets...we only mainly go up and around the S28 and ender Skukuza, unless there is enough time to go to lake panic:):)

In Feb I saw a healthy family of skittish BB jackals on the S35 before it links with the S37.
Also had the same 2 jackal in the long grass of the H10.

It seems to me that they do not favor the South. Which is why many of the posters are saying they are rare.

During our last visit, 2 till march 17 this year, we had several jackall sightings. All east of Satara.
Most of the time black blacked jackalls but on the tar to Nwanetsi we saw a Side striped Jackall.

I think we saw jackalls every time we have visited Kruger
Ruud

We were lucky to see one on the sunst drive on 6 April 2012 just north of Crocodile Bridge. Very special sighting indeed.

I've seen quite a few over the years, all between Orpen and Satara.

My best ever sighting was in December 2010 very close to Orpen Gate where a Blue Wildebeest was giving birth. I have no idea if the jackal managed to get her calf because they moved off into the bushes. We counted 6 of them. While some were after her, others went after some of the young calves in the group. All this in very heavy rainfall.



DQU22112 by santiequanjer, on Flickr


DQU22118 by santiequanjer, on Flickr



DQU22095 by santiequanjer, on Flickr

Hey Guinea Pig that really is a fantastic sighting..thanx for posting the pics!!

As mentioned here on this thread Jackal do better in the dry periods. Around 2000 there was a big collapse in the population. There never has been the same Jackal viewing since then. I remember in the 80's and 90's seeing 10 Jackals a day with no problem. Nowadays you are lucky to see more than a few in a trip and mostly around the open areas around the central parts of Kruger (Orpen/Satara) as well as around Lower Sabi, where previosuly you would find them in good numbers almost everywhere.

I have also heard reasons for their decline having to do with a disease affecting burrowing animals from some years back although admitedly only heard this from one source. Its also been mentioned that Kruger is bushing over in some of the open areas and this together with long grass of particularly wet years, makes them more susceptible to predation.

In the Sabi Sands, there were only 2 resident black backed Jackals in a large proportion (some 30 000ha) in 2006 until they had 4 babies. I think since then there has been an increase in number in the Sabi Sands and its probably a similar trend for parts of Kruger.

What I have noticed in the last 10 years though is that Side Striped Jackals are quite common these days and apart from there being lots in the Sabi Sands, I have seen them around the open area to north of Satara (7 youngsters) and a den with 6 jackals to the north of Letaba. I have also seen them in the open areas around north of Shingwedzi.

But if you want to see jackals now in Kruger...you will be luckiest in August to beginning of november around Satara area especially if there is a kill.

Good luck