Visitors to Kruger National Park can see a variety of wild animals on a safari! From tigers to giraffes to lions, there is so much to see in this beautiful park. It seems more and more people are capturing the incredible interactions between wildlife and sharing them with the rest of the world.
Today, we’re going to look at a jackal that can be described as either brave or stupid. In the desert around Kruger, a beautiful lioness goes about her business drinking from a watering hole.
The lion must have blended perfectly into the area because a jackal walked up to her to drink water. The best way to describe jackals is wily omnivores. Together they chase duikers and eat grass, fruit, berries, insects, reptiles, insects and ground-living birds.
In their search for food, they will forage among the carcasses left by large predators and even visit garbage dumps. Except for this lioness, the jackal has no chance to get close to the lioness! You can clearly see the fear on this animal’s face as it runs away!
check your environment
We can collectively breathe a sigh of relief knowing that jackals are safe, right? Well, there was something else around the corner as he trotted away from the lioness. The jackal found a small puddle to drink, thinking he was the only one around.
A leopard can be seen in the tall grass behind the jackal. Leopards are expert stalkers, cautiously moving as close as 15 feet to their prey before attacking. To catch prey, they grab prey with their front paws and then bite to the back of the head or near the throat, they rely on vibrations and a strong body.
Leopards are masters at seizing opportunities. Although they are mostly nocturnal animals, they will not miss the opportunity to hunt during the day. Just as the big cat jumped at it, the jackal turned around.
The video ends before we understand what’s going on. Given the Jackal’s luck so far, we think it’s safe to assume he escaped. Possibly right before drinking water where alligators live!
One of our favorite video comments is, “It was a fantastic sight, a well-fed lioness was full and just wanted some water, while on the other hand, a hungry leopard waited in the nearby fog to catch unsuspecting prey. Jackal Live another day! I agree that this lucky jackal needs glasses.”
Check out the video below and other lucky jackal sightings!
Next:
- Watch Eagles and Jackals Hunt Together and Still Miss Dinner
- Proud jackal bites male lion’s tail in bold taunt
- Watch an invincible honey badger survive a 20ft python before defeating two jackals in a tug-of-war
- Watch lions hunt the biggest antelope you’ve ever seen
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
