DISTRIBUTION
Switzerland
The first photo of a golden jackal in Switzerland was taken during lynx monitoring in the north-western Alps in winter 2011/12. After that, there was no further evidence for several years until a golden jackal was photographed in the Surselva in winter 2015/16. Shortly afterwards, a young male golden jackal, presumably the same one, was accidentally shot by a hunter nearby (press release from the Graubünden Hunting and Fishing Office, 13 January 2016). On 23 March 2016, a weakened golden jackal was shot in the canton of Schwyz (press release from the Canton of Schwyz Department of the Environment, 23.03.2016). Since then, we have regularly received new reports of golden jackal sightings. Although the golden jackal is migrating from the south-east, it has already been recorded near Geneva. Young golden jackals can travel long distances on the dispersal route and can therefore appear anywhere in Switzerland.
Evidence of golden jackals in Switzerland is also presented in the KORA Monitoring Centre.
Segni di presenza di sciacalli dorati in Svizzera nel periodo gennaio-dicembre 2024 secondo i criteri SCALP. La categoria C2 (tracce e predazioni confermate) nello sciacallo vengono spostate nella categoria C3 a causa del grande rischio di confusione con altri canidi.
© KORA/GIS
Golden jackal records in Switzerland 2017–2023
Golden jackal records in Switzerland January-December 2023 according to their SCALP category (Red = category 1, “hard facts”; blue = category 2, confirmed reports; green = category 3, non-verifiable reports). Due to the dangers of mistaking signs of golden jackals with those of other canids, the category 2 is recorded as category 3.
© KORA/GIS
December 2022 according to SCALP criteria. Criterion K2 (confirmed tracks and cracks) is included as K3 for the golden jackal due to a high risk of confusion with other canids.
© KORA/GIS
Golden jackal records in Switzerland January-December 2021 according to their SCALP category (Red = category 1, “hard facts”; blue = category 2, confirmed reports; green = category 3, non-verifiable reports). Due to the dangers of mistaking signs of golden jackals with those of other canids, the category 2 is recorded as category 3.
© KORA/GIS
Golden jackal records in Switzerland January-December 2020 according to their SCALP category (Red = category 1, “hard facts”; blue = category 2, confirmed reports; green = category 3, non-verifiable reports). Due to the dangers of mistaking signs of golden jackals with those of other canids, the category 2 is recorded as category 3.
© KORA/GIS
Golden jackal records in Switzerland January-December 2019 according to their SCALP category (Red = category 1, “hard facts”; blue = category 2, confirmed reports; green = category 3, non-verifiable reports). Due to the dangers of mistaking signs of golden jackals with those of other canids, the category 2 is recorded as category 3.
© KORA/GIS
Golden jackal records in Switzerland 2018 according to their SCALP category (Red = category 1, “hard facts”; blue = category 2, confirmed reports; green = category 3, non-verifiable reports).
© KORA/GIS
Golden jackal records in Switzerland 2017 according to their SCALP category (Red = category 1, “hard facts”; blue = category 2, confirmed reports; green = category 3, non-verifiable reports).
© KORA/GIS
EUROPE
Monitoring and management are traditionally organised by the individual countries. However, all viable golden jackal populations expand over international boundaries. The network Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe, an IUCN/SSC specialist group, periodically collects the most recent data on the status, management and distribution of the carnivores in Europe.
Current study:
© LCIE © LCIE
Note: Isolated cells away from the main population are slightly enlarged for better visibility and arrows point to Europe’s northernmost and easternmost occurrence records.
Distribution of the golden jackal in Europe (archive)
Distribution of the golden jackal in Europe based on a 10 x 10 km grid and data from 2012–2016. Dark green = permanent presence (presence confirmed in at least 3 of the 5 years, or reproduction confirmed within the last 3 years), light green = sporadic presence (presence confirmed in less than 3 of the 5 years), blue = possible presence (weak evidence, possibly only rare vagrants). No data was available from country areas coloured white.
© LCIE
GLOBAL
Distribution of the golden jackal according to the assessment for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2018.
TAXONOMY
The golden jackal (Canis aureus) belongs to the family Canidae. Until recently, the distribution in Africa was regarded as a subspecies of Canis aureus. In 2015, genetic research revealed the former African subspecies to be closer related to the wolf (Canis lupus) than to the golden jackal. Consequently, the African golden wolf (Canis anthus) is now regarded as a separate species. Data from genetic and morphometric studies suggest that all golden jackals from Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus belong to the same subspecies Canis aureus moreotica. However, the division of the global distribution into subspecies is still unclear.