Jackal-Dog Hybrid
Encyclopedia
A jackal–dog hybrid is a canid hybrid
resulting from a mating between a dog
and a golden jackal
. Such crossbreeding apparently only occurs in captivity, as such matings in the wild have never been observed. However, it is thought that recent declines in jackal populations in Israel
and Lebanon
could be due to possible hybridisation with pariah dog
s, and hybridisation has been recognised as a possible threat to jackal populations in the Balkan peninsula.
who mentioned experimental jackal hybrids from British India, noting that glaring jackal traits could be exhibited in hybrids even after three generations of crossing them with dogs:
Flourens also observed that jackal hybrids become sterile
after the fourth generation, but can be mated back to either parent species. Charles Darwin
wrote of a first-generation hybrid kept in the London Zoo
which was completely sterile, though he noted that this was an exceptional case, as first-generation hybrids have been known to reproduce successfully. Breeding experiments in Germany
with poodle
s and jackals and later on with the resulting dog–jackal hybrids showed a decrease in fertility and significant communication problems as well as an increase of genetic diseases after three generations of interbreeding between the hybrids, unlike with wolfdog
s which remain healthy and never become sterile. These "puchas" (poodle-jackals), like the "pucos" (poodle coyotes), exhibited much less domestic dog-like behaviour than the wolf-hybrids.
-like dogs and produce offspring, thus the possibility of jackals having influenced some breeds is a possibility. Author Michael Rice further argues that the golden jackal may have played a large part in the creation of Ancient Egypt
ian hunting hounds, pointing out how one specific breed (the Pharaoh hound
), has vocalisations similar to golden jackals, including the latter species' ability to almost mimic the calls of their human masters. Among other similarities, Pharaoh hounds tend to give ritual "noddings and groanings" to people they encounter for the first time, and tend to be monogamous, and only choose to mate with members of the same breed.
Jackal blood may have influenced the behaviour of some feral Indian pariah dog populations, as they have occasionally been observed to make jackal-like cries often rendered in English
as "Pheal"; a distress call usually emitted by jackals when in the vicinity of tiger
s or leopard
s. Reginald Innes Pocock
proposed that dog–jackal hybridisation was the reason why jackal coursing
in Sri Lanka
was ineffective, as most hunting dogs there would refuse to attack jackals, which they likely viewed as a member of their own species.
In modern times, since 1975, Russia
n scientists have bred quarter jackal hybrids from jackals and northern reindeer herding dogs called Sulimov dog
s, in order to take advantage of the jackal's superior olfactory abilities and the herding dog's resistance to cold, to detect volatile substances in airports. According to the breed's creator, first-generation hybrid cubs could only be produced by male dogs and female jackals, as male jackals refused to mate with female dogs.
Canid hybrid
Canid hybrids are the result of interbreeding between different species of the canine family -Genetic considerations:Members of the dog genus Canis: wolves, dogs , coyotes, and golden jackals cannot interbreed with members of the wider dog family: the Canidae, such as South American canids, foxes,...
resulting from a mating between a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
and a golden jackal
Golden Jackal
The golden jackal , also known as the common jackal, Asiatic jackal, thos or gold-wolf is a Canid of the genus Canis indigenous to north and northeastern Africa, southeastern and central Europe , Asia Minor, the Middle East and southeast Asia...
. Such crossbreeding apparently only occurs in captivity, as such matings in the wild have never been observed. However, it is thought that recent declines in jackal populations in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
could be due to possible hybridisation with pariah dog
Pariah dog
The term pariah dog originally referred to Chinese/Indian feral dogs of a particular type, but it is now used by the United Kennel Club to refer to a purebred dog category.- Feral dogs of India :...
s, and hybridisation has been recognised as a possible threat to jackal populations in the Balkan peninsula.
Characteristics
According to Marie Jean Pierre Flourens, first-generation matings between the two species tend to produce animals in which jackal characteristics are dominant, having straight ears, hanging tails, do not bark and have a wild temperament. This is confirmed by Robert Armitage SterndaleRobert Armitage Sterndale
Sir Robert Armitage Sterndale was a naturalist and statesman. He was governor general of St. Helena in 1897.He wrote several books on natural history including on the mammals of India. He was one of the first editors of the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society...
who mentioned experimental jackal hybrids from British India, noting that glaring jackal traits could be exhibited in hybrids even after three generations of crossing them with dogs:
Flourens also observed that jackal hybrids become sterile
Sterility (physiology)
Sterility is the physiological inability to effect sexual reproduction in a living thing, members of whose kind have been produced sexually. The term may be used in reference to* types of organism, such as the mule, a sterile hybrid;...
after the fourth generation, but can be mated back to either parent species. Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
wrote of a first-generation hybrid kept in the London Zoo
London Zoo
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
which was completely sterile, though he noted that this was an exceptional case, as first-generation hybrids have been known to reproduce successfully. Breeding experiments in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
s and jackals and later on with the resulting dog–jackal hybrids showed a decrease in fertility and significant communication problems as well as an increase of genetic diseases after three generations of interbreeding between the hybrids, unlike with wolfdog
Wolfdog
A wolfdog is a canid hybrid resulting from the mating of a wolf and a dog . The term "wolfdog" is preferred by most of the animals' proponents and breeders because the domestic dog recently was taxonomically recategorized as a subspecies of wolf...
s which remain healthy and never become sterile. These "puchas" (poodle-jackals), like the "pucos" (poodle coyotes), exhibited much less domestic dog-like behaviour than the wolf-hybrids.
Influences on dog breeding
Although the general consensus among modern scientists is that dogs originated from Asian wolves, there are still those who advocate the possibility of a partial jackal contribution. Dog specialist Dr Ian Dunbar pointed out how jackals have often been recorded to mate with pariah and dingoDingo
The Australian Dingo or Warrigal is a free-roaming wild dog unique to the continent of Australia, mainly found in the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to...
-like dogs and produce offspring, thus the possibility of jackals having influenced some breeds is a possibility. Author Michael Rice further argues that the golden jackal may have played a large part in the creation of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian hunting hounds, pointing out how one specific breed (the Pharaoh hound
Pharaoh Hound
The Pharaoh Hound is a breed of dog and the national hound of the Mediterranean nation of Malta. Its native name is Kelb tal-Fenek in Maltese, which means "rabbit hound". The dog is the traditional hunting companion of Maltese outdoorsmen. The breed has no conclusive links with Ancient Egypt and...
), has vocalisations similar to golden jackals, including the latter species' ability to almost mimic the calls of their human masters. Among other similarities, Pharaoh hounds tend to give ritual "noddings and groanings" to people they encounter for the first time, and tend to be monogamous, and only choose to mate with members of the same breed.
Jackal blood may have influenced the behaviour of some feral Indian pariah dog populations, as they have occasionally been observed to make jackal-like cries often rendered in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as "Pheal"; a distress call usually emitted by jackals when in the vicinity of tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s or leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s. Reginald Innes Pocock
Reginald Innes Pocock
Reginald Innes Pocock F.R.S. was a British zoologist.Pocock was born in Clifton, Bristol, the fourth son of Rev. Nicholas Pocock and Edith Prichard. He began showing interest in natural history at St. Edward's School, Oxford. He received tutoring in zoology from Sir Edward Poulton, and was allowed...
proposed that dog–jackal hybridisation was the reason why jackal coursing
Jackal Coursing
Jackal coursing involves the pursuit of jackals with dogs.Jackal coursing was an occasional pastime for sportsmen in British India. English Foxhounds were usually imported to India for the purpose. Due to the comparatively hotter weather, jackal hounds were rarely long lived...
in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
was ineffective, as most hunting dogs there would refuse to attack jackals, which they likely viewed as a member of their own species.
In modern times, since 1975, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n scientists have bred quarter jackal hybrids from jackals and northern reindeer herding dogs called Sulimov dog
Sulimov dog
The Sulimov Dog is a Russian Jackal-Dog Hybrid originating from an initial hybrid between two Lapponian Herders and two Turkmen golden jackals. The breed was developed by Klim Sulimov for Aeroflot airline security. He is described as a Senior Research Assistant at the D.S...
s, in order to take advantage of the jackal's superior olfactory abilities and the herding dog's resistance to cold, to detect volatile substances in airports. According to the breed's creator, first-generation hybrid cubs could only be produced by male dogs and female jackals, as male jackals refused to mate with female dogs.