However, a person with exotic carnivore experience, sufficient outdoor space, and ample time to spare to do research and constantly adapt to unforeseen challenges could make a good owner for this uncommon animal, provided it is legal to do so. The most commonly sold jackal species is the black-backed jackal.Īs one might assume, individuals used to and expecting the behavior of domesticated dogs would likely find a jackal to be an awful animal to own. Jackals have been offered for sale on occasion although sometimes they are only available to USDA licensed facilities that use exotic animals for education or exhibition (it is not difficult to acquire one of these licenses if you are legitimately using the animal for these purposes). Jackal cubs in their den" by zoofanatic is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Can Jackals be Pets?Īs far as traditional and even exotic pet keeping goes, jackals are rarely privately owned. Jackals, which are found in Africa and Eurasia, are very similar to the coyotes of North America in size and appearance, however they are more omnivorous. There are three species that are referred to as ‘jackals’ today: the black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas), side-striped jackal (Canis adustus) and the golden jackal (Canis aureus) which is especially wolf-like and more closely related to them, while the other two species are distantly related to the golden but closely related to each other. The term ‘jackal’ used to informally refer to most medium-sized canids, but this designation has changed.
Collectively, they have a not-so-distinctive appearance that makes them resemble coyotes, wolves, and even foxes with their long snouts and reddish grey coloration, depending on their species. Of the many wild-living members from the family Canidae, jackals are somewhat less popular animals.