26/08/2026
THE UNDERRATED HUNTERS OF THE SAVANNAH: JACKALS 🐾
📍 Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Often overlooked in favour of the Big Five, jackals are some of the most adaptable and intelligent predators in East Africa.
Kenya is home to three species: the black-backed jackal, the side-striped jackal, and the golden jackal - each occupying slightly different habitats and niches across the savannah.
Jackals are monogamous, often mating for life, and both parents share the work of raising pups - feeding, guarding, and teaching them to hunt. Pairs frequently keep "helpers," usually pups from a previous litter, who stay on to assist in raising their younger siblings.
Highly opportunistic feeders, jackals will hunt small mammals and birds, scavenge from larger predators' kills, and even eat insects and fruit depending on what's available. This adaptability is a big part of why they thrive across such a wide range of African habitats.
Their sharp, high-pitched calls at dusk and dawn are one of the most recognisable sounds of the African night — often a signal that bigger predators are nearby.
👉 Kenya Safaris: link in bio