Conservation Genetics Laboratory, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248 001

The golden jackal is a medium-sized predator and omnivore, with a range covering the southern parts of the Palearctic, South Asia and northeastern Africa. The entire jackal population is now confined to a few clusters grouped into 7 sub-areas with criteria such as connectivity and isolation. Causes of decline seem to be related to the limited habitat availability due to changes in human agro-pastoral activities, which resulted mainly in reduced day-cover availability and possibly reduced food base. This review summarizes the basic aspects of golden jackal distribution, ecology and dietary habits, analyses the main threats and problems of jackal management. The jackals seem to do well in moderately modified agro-systems with non- invasive human activities. Barriers for jackal expansion and population recovery seems to be the mountains with extensive high forests or unbroken scrub, heavy snowy winters and irregular food supply, large intensively cultivated areas without cover, urbanization and established wolf populations. Agro pastoral changes during the past 25-30 years has resulted in habitat and human use changes, which have largely contributed to the massive jackal population declines. Following a short introduction on phylogeny, classification, and evolutionary ecology of the Canidae, this review provides the latest information on the distribution, biology and conservation status of Canid aureus species, organized by geographical region.

Keywords:Canis aureus, Conservation, Ecology, Golden Jackal, Population.