Black Backed Jackal working for Breakfast

The Black Backed Jackal is a much hated animal on farms in South Africa. It is a cunning little animal that is of no good when it comes to sheep. Farmers hate them because it can cause havock under their livestock, and it is very difficult to hunt the cunning jackal or get it out of an area where it cause death of sheep.

But in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park they are in their natural habitat and interesting animals to watch - always scavenging, and a feast to watch at killings of prey by lions or cheetas.

This particular morning we were treated by three Jackals that was at the Polentswa waterhole, trying to catch themselves a breakfast.

An interesting observation this morning was that it was not at all easy for the jackals to catch a dove.

They had to work real hard! Despite a real lot of turtle doves, the success rate was nearly nul!

 The try to get as near as possible to the drinking doves, and then charge into them, hoping to catch one.

We also observed that not all of the three were as good as the other! Some of the weightier jackals definitely did not even have a chance!

 Some of them did not show the same skill as the others

 Some tried harder and worked harder than the others.  In the end, only one was successful!

 But then we were treated to another surprise as we caught this jackal on its success....!

 As soon as it got hold of the dove, screeching to a halt....

 It turned around and started running away with the speed of light!

 The reason we soon learned - because the other two jackals - as soon as they saw that their mate caught something, stopped their hunt and started to chase him!

So it made a dash away from them and started running to nearby bushes and shrubs.

 It was a real treat following him trying to see what is going to happen next...

 this jackal was definitely the more successful dove catcher of the lot, and it immediately knew what to do next after catching one - experience told it - : "run!!"

 It managed to outrun its mates, making some cunning shortcuts around some shrubs.

 and started to devour the dove before the others could come and try to steal some of it -

Success for this jackal!  After its meal it went back for more but to no avail - the doves also disappeared as quick as it came down - and they were forced to leave the waterhole - on their way to work for whatever the rest of the day would present as opportunities for a meal.

You are welcome to have a look at my other Blog writings.