The
golden jackal (
Canis aureus), also known as the
Eurasian golden jackal,
common jackal,
Asiatic jackal or
reed wolf is a
canid native to southeastern and central
Europe,
Asia Minor, the
Middle East, and
South Asia. It is classified by the
IUCN as
least concern, due to its widespread range in areas with optimum food and shelter. It is a social species, the basic social unit of which consists of a breeding pair and any offspring it might have. The golden jackal is very adaptable, being able to exploit many foodstuffs, from fruit and insects to small ungulates. As of 2005,
MSW3 recognises 13
subspecies, though genetic studies published in 2015 revealed that six supposed golden jackal subspecies living in Africa were members of a separate species,
Canis anthus, reducing the number of actual golden jackal subspecies to seven.