SRI JAYAWARDENEPURA KOTTE, Sri Lanka — In the soft first light of dawn, wildlife photographer Priyanath Kotalawela observed a golden silhouette gliding across the wet grasslands in the Thalangama Wetland, not far from the heart of Sri Lanka’s administrative capital of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. It was the size of a midsize stray dog, but despite having somewhat similar features, the silhouette turned out to be a golden jackal (Canis aureus), a species not often associated with urban landscapes at present.

The golden jackal was a common sight at the edges of many a Sri Lankan village in the past, but as land use patterns continue to change, the animals have disappeared from most urban settings despite common sightings in national parks. As a result, the recent sightings of these jackals in a Colombo suburb wetland have triggered interest among Sri Lankan conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

“I’ve been tipped of the presence of the golden jackal in Colombo wetlands; however, this did not come true until last year” says Kotalawela, who frequently combs Colombo’s wetlands for a glimpse of wildlife. This year, Kotalawela also found his prized moment at the Kimbulawala Wetland, just a stone’s throw from Sri Lanka’s Parliament.

Illusive survivors

Golden jackals may have been surviving elusively in small numbers within Colombo’s wetlands, but it’s noteworthy that they are now being observed more frequently, says Sampath Seneviratne, professor in the Department of Zoology, University of Colombo.

“We’ve identified healthy jackal populations in several areas closer to Colombo, where they likely find refuge, food and movement corridors in the remaining patches of paddy fields, reed beds and forest fragments interwoven between housing developments and congested roads,” Senevirathne tells Mongabay.

There are six subspecies of golden jackals spread mainly across Asia, Europe and Africa. The jackals found in Sri Lanka belong to the subspecies Canis aureus naria, first described in the 19th century and distinct from other golden jackal populations across the species’ vast Eurasian range. Though long considered a part of the South Asian jackal group inhabiting southern regions of India, Sri Lankan jackals are known for their subtle morphological differences, including body size and coat characteristics, which mark them as a unique subspecies that keeps scientists busy with their continuing genetic studies to gain greater inspection and clarity.

In Sri Lanka, jackals have not been the focus of intensive population studies, but anecdotal evidence and limited ecological surveys suggest they are holding steady or potentially declining. Seneviratne, together with his students, conducted research in Sri Lanka on golden jackals and found that the golden jackal is presently missing from nearly 60% of its historic ranges.

Declining populations

“Golden jackals were a common sight near the edges of villages in old days, but they have gone missing,” says Seneviratne. Loss of small forest patches, roadkills, attacks by feral dogs and transmission of canid diseases through these feral dogs are among the reasons for this decline, Seneviratne adds.

​In 2020, a significant rabies outbreak among jackals emerged in the Kalutara district in western Sri Lanka. The official data showed 19 jackal deaths during this period, with 18 of them having confirmed positive for rabies. Canine distemper virus  and canine parvovirus are other common diseases that feral dogs can transmit to jackals.

Roadkills are a significant cause of mortality for golden jackals in Sri Lanka. The expressway between Horana and Panadura in the Western province has turned into a particular hotspot for such incidents.

Madura de Silva, president of the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle (WCSG) and a frequent traveler on this route, reports having recorded four jackal carcasses along the expressway within just two years. Most of these were found where the road cuts through marshy terrain. Similar patterns of jackal fatalities due to road collisions have been reported in other parts of the country as well, especially in the dry zone, but the unreported cases would be much higher, De Silva tells Mongabay.

A versatile diet

Uthpala Jayaweera, who participated in the research with Seneviratne, says the gut analysis of the dead jackals in urban settings proved that its versatile diet helps it to survive. “There were small mammals like mouse, small birds as well as human food wastes, such as rice and dhal. They also consumed seasonal food when they are found aplenty,” Jayaweera says.

The researchers also found that the golden jackal is quite social and vocal. “Golden jackals make a range of noises other than their trademark howling and grunts — sometimes even bird-like sounds,” Senevirathne tells Mongabay. However, an interesting difference is that the jackals found in suburban Colombo are not often howling as their wilder cousins; Seneviratne is of the view that this could be a behavior they adopted to avoid getting exposed to stray dogs.

Relatives of the jackals, such as wolves, are tourist attractions elsewhere, and Sri Lanka, too, has potential to promote the jackal. For example, on rainy days, it is not easy to have elephant or leopard sightings, but jackals are likely to be seen at such times, as they come out particularly on rainy days, according to Seneviratne.

Global advocacy

Amid rising interest in this species, conservationists have begun to advocate for a global platform for jackals. One such initiative is World Jackal Day, established to shed light on the ecological importance of jackals and to dispel long-standing myths that paint them as villains or scavengers, says Jennifer Hatlauf of BOKU University in Austria, a co-founder of this initiative.

Golden jackals play an important role in regulating populations of small mammals and carrion removal — services that contribute to ecosystem balance, so they are indeed important for this, she tells Mongabay.

In Sri Lanka, the absence of jackals likely has contributed to the ever- increasing population of peafowl, a noted agricultural pest. Jackals are known to prey on peafowl eggs, chicks and sometimes even weak or injured adults. By keeping peafowl numbers in check, jackals help maintain a balanced population, Seneviratne notes.

However, in a paradoxical twist, while jackals may be losing ground in parts of their traditional range, they are expanding into new territories. Golden jackals have been moving northward into parts of Europe, including the Baltics, Germany and even the Netherlands, according to research. This expansion is thought to be facilitated by climate change, landscape changes and the decline of wolves, a species in competition with jackals.

​Meanwhile, with the intent to increase awareness of the golden jackal, a book titled The Way of the Jackal: The Untold Story of Sri Lanka’s Wild Dog was published by Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) of Sri Lanka recently, co-authored by Jayaweera, Seneviratne and Chandika Jayaratne based on their studies. “There are lot of misconceptions on the golden jackal, so we wanted to make this an opportunity to mainstream scientifically validated facts about this species,” Seneviratne tells Mongabay.

Shy, mysterious and affectionate. Banner image of a pair of golden jackals in Colombo suburbs courtesy of Chadika Jayaratne.