# Canis Mesomelas

Canis Mesomelas, also known as the black-backed jackal, is a clever and adaptable animal. These jackals can often be seen hunting in pairs or small family groups!

- **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands in Africa.
- **Also known as:** African jackal, black-backed jackal

![Canis Mesomelas](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2012-bb-jackal-1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Yathin S Krishnappa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2012-bb-jackal-1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Canis Mesomelas is a medium-sized canine with a striking black saddle extending from its shoulders to its tail. Its flanks, head, and legs are a vibrant rusty-red or tan, contrasting sharply with its white belly. This distinctive 'black-back' makes it easily identifiable among other jackal species.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Carnivora
- **Family:** Canidae
- **Genus:** Canis

## Interesting facts

- Black-backed jackals often mate for life, forming strong pair bonds.
- Jackal pups are born blind and deaf, relying completely on their mother.
- These clever canines sometimes follow big cats to scavenge their leftovers!
- Wow, a jackal can reach speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour!

## Special abilities

- **Endurance Runner:** Canis Mesomelas can run long distances because of their lean bodies and strong legs that help them hunt prey efficiently.
- **Sharp Hearing:** Canis Mesomelas has incredibly sensitive ears that help them detect faint sounds of small prey moving in the grass.
- **Clever Communication:** Canis Mesomelas can use various barks, howls, and yips to communicate complex messages with their pack mates.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 67-81 cm
- **Weight:** 6-13 kg
- **Lifespan:** 8-10 years
- **Speed:** 60 km/h
- **Litter Size:** 3-6
- **Gestation:** 60-65 days

## Diet & Feeding

These clever canines eat almost anything, from tiny insects to larger animals and even fruits!

- **Primary Foods:** small mammals, birds, insects, carrion, fruits, reptiles
- **Foraging Method:** Pursuit

## Ecological connections

- **Depends on:** [Aardvark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/aardvark) (*Orycteropus afer*) — They often use abandoned aardvark burrows as dens.
- **Hunts:** Thomson's Gazelle (*Gazella thomsonii*) — Jackals will hunt young or weak gazelles, especially fawns.
- **Eaten by:** Lion (*Panthera leo*) — Jackals can become prey for larger predators like lions.
- **Eats:** Umbrella Thorn Acacia (*Acacia tortilis*) — Jackals consume the pods and fruits of various acacia trees.

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color.
- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Canis Mesomelas?

Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Canis Mesomelas?

67-81 cm

### How much does Canis Mesomelas weigh?

6-13 kg

### How long does Canis Mesomelas live?

8-10 years

### How fast can Canis Mesomelas move?

60 km/h

### What does Canis Mesomelas eat?

These clever canines eat almost anything, from tiny insects to larger animals and even fruits!

### Where is Canis Mesomelas usually found?

Savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands in Africa.

### How does Canis Mesomelas hunt?

Pursuit

## More Mammals

- [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*)
- [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*)
- [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*)
- [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*)

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Source: [Canis Mesomelas: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/canis-mesomelas)