Social organization, home ranges, and extraterritorial forays of black-backed jackals

We radio-tracked 15 black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) from 8 adjacent family groups on Benfontein Game Farm (i.e., Benfontein) in South Africa to investigate their movement patterns and social organization. Jackal family groups consisted of mated pairs (alphas), 0-3 nonbreeding adults (betas), and pups, depending on the season. Mean (+/- SE) home-range size of alphas (9.4 +/- 1.2 km(2), n = 6) did not differ (P = 0.766) from betas (9.8 +/- 0.7 km(2), n = 8). Most beta jackals (8 of 10) remained philopatric on Benfontein, apparently because of the high density of springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), their preferred prey. Three of 5 alphas and all 8 betas went on extraterritorial forays (i.e., forays). Generally, betas spent more of their active time on forays (2-20% of time) than alphas (0-3%; P = 0.048), and betas went farther on forays (2-8 km) than alphas (2-3 km; P = 0.003). The number of forays differed (P < 0.001) among seasons; most forays occurred during summer (64%) when jackals visited neighboring livestock farms, apparently to predate on domestic sheep. Overall, our results indicate forays by jackals are affected by social status, seasonal availability of preferred prey, and the reproductive cycle of jackals. To reduce jackal predation on livestock farms near reserves, we recommend that preventative measures (e.g., use of herders, jackal control activities) be increased during summer when jackals are most likely to travel outside reserves. (c) 2019 The Wildlife Society.