Golden jackal

Golden jackal

The country's night chorus

תן זהובCanis aureus

The golden jackal is a small wild dog, tan with a thick coat, and it is among the most common wild animals in Israel. It eats fruit, small animals, and scraps, and it lives from the hills to the edges of cities. At night, jackals can be heard howling in a group, a sound that can startle visitors. Jackals have increased in number in recent decades, partly because of food left by people. The Bible's story of Samson and the foxes may in fact refer to them.

Glossary: Golden jackal