Category Secrets of the Wild

         Jackals and coyotes are scavengers. They are opportunistic mammals, preying on small to medium sized animals. Both of they are omnivorous animals that enjoy a mixed diet. They have long legs and carved canine teeth that are suitable for hunting small animals. However, there are some differences between the two.

         Jackals are active at dusk and dawn. Occasionally, they travel in small packs to scavenge a carcass; however, they prefer to work either alone or in pairs. While these animals are found primarily in Africa, their presence is recorded in other parts of the world as well.

         The coyote, on the other hand, is native to North America. Compared to their close relatives, the grey wolves, coyotes are smaller and lighter. The coyote is sometimes called American jackal by zoologists, because it fulfills the same role that the golden jackal of Europe and Asia does. Coyotes are smarter than jackals as they can adapt to human environments. Coyotes too can hunt in packs, alone or in pairs.

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          If you see a fox on your way, there is a high likelihood that you will mistake it for a dog. There are more similarities than differences in the physical traits and characteristics among various members of the dog family.

          Among the canids, dogs are the weakest. They have shorter and weaker jaw muscles than others such as wolves, coyotes, jackals and foxes. Dogs and foxes have thinner legs than wolves.

          Dogs have the most varied eye colours. They may have, depending on their breed, white, blue, brown and yellow shaded eyes. Wolves, on the other hand, have small eyes with varying shades of yellow colour. Coyotes, jackals and foxes have yellow or brown eyes.

          In the case of paws, most Canidea family members have similar shape. All members have the same tail pattern. However, across species, the length of the tail may vary.

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          The tallest wild member in the dog family is the maned wolf. The animal has a height of 90 centimetres up to its shoulder. The head to body length of a maned wolf is about 100 centimetres. The tail will add another 45cm to the body length. The species has large and long ears, of about 17.8 centimetres.

          In fact, the animal is not a wolf, even though it is called a wolf. It is not a fox either. The maned wolf is a different species altogether. It is commonly found in the open grasslands of South America. Scientists believe that its height is an adaptation to the tall grass in the region.

          The maned wolf has certain similarities to the red fox. It is famous for the distinctive odour of its territory markings, which has earned it a nickname, skunk wolf.

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          Have you heard the story of the fox who tried hard to get a taste of grapes? Although we do not have any conclusion evidence to suggest that foxes have a craving for grapes, we know for sure that they enjoy both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.

          Their diet is made up of insects, birds, rats and hares, and can include eggs and plants too. Foxes that live near water bodies enjoy fish and crabs as well. Most species of fox consume about one kilogram of food every day.

          Sometimes, they raid places where humans reside, and eat from the trash they have dumped. At times, they eat a lot so that they can rest and relax for a day or two. They have the habit of burying excess food for consumption later, usually under dry leaves, snow, or loose soil.

          Foxes have the habit of using the pouncing technique to catch their prey. They crouch down to camouflage themselves in the terrain. Then using their hind legs, they leap with great force to land on top of their prey, thus trapping it.

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          The members of the Canidae family differ in their sizes and appearances. Some breeds of domestic dogs can be bigger than a pony. Dog breeds like the Saint Bernard and the Great Dane are examples. However, the largest species in the family is the grey wolf.

          An adult grey wolf measure between 105 and 106 centimetres in length, and 80 and 85 centimetres in shoulder height. Its tail is 30 to 50 centimetres ling. The grey wolf weighs about 30 to 40 kgs. While male members are heavier, the female will typically be lighter, and weigh 2.3 – 4.5 kg less than males. Other canids will have slight variation in weight from the wolves.

          The smallest member of the Canidae family is the fennec fox. It has a height of only 24 centimetres. The weight of the animal is a paltry 1 kg.

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