FEATURES
body length
70-85 cm
tail length
25-30 cm
shoulder height
44-50 cm
Weight
Up to 15kg
life expectancy
8-9 years
number of young
Usually 4-5
mating season
End of January to end of February
Sexual maturity / Gestation period / Rearing
Sexually mature at one year. Gestation period 61-63 days. Puppies are raised in the pack for approximately one year.
Characteristic features
The footprint of the golden jackal resembles that of a large fox, however the central pads are fused in the lower part.
habitat
Habitat generalists: richly structured agricultural landscapes, wetlands, or montane areas. Good swimmers.
Nutrition
Opportunistic and generalist feeder. Main prey consists of small to medium-sized mammals, insects, fish, carrion, and plant matter.
Hunting behavior
Similar to a fox. Golden jackals often hunt alone, occasionally in pairs, but rarely in packs. They stalk their prey in a crouched position, then suddenly pounce.
Territoriality
Territorial family groups. Territorial family groups, territory sizes between 2 – 6 km².
History of the golden jackal in Austria
The golden jackal is migrating from southeastern Europe to Austria. The first confirmed sighting in Austria was in Styria in 1987. The first documented reproduction took place in 2007 in the Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park.
In 2023, evidence was found in all federal states except Vorarlberg; in principle, occurrence and group formation are possible in all federal states.
