The golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Bosnia and Herzegovina : density of territorial groups, population trend and distribution range

Trbojević, Igor (author), Trbojević, Tijana (author), Malešević, Danijela (author), Krofel, Miha (author)

In this article, we present the results of the first systematic surveys of golden jackals in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). The population status and distribution of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in B&H was largely unknown, and the few existing literature records mention their presence at only five localities in the country. We interviewed managers of all the hunting grounds in B&H and reviewed available jackal hunting records from 2000 to 2016. In total, we collected 212 records of legally harvested jackals. We observed an increasing trend of harvested jackals in B&H (on average 35% annual increase) during this same period. Using the acoustic (playback) method, we confirmed the presence of 80 territorial jackal groups along six transects covering 3081 km2. We estimated density to be a minimum of 0.33 groups/10 km2 in northern B&H and 0.10 groups/10 km2 in central B&H. Jackal groups were located at significantly lower altitudes with respect to available area along the transects. We present a distribution map of confirmed jackal occurrences in B&H, which indicates that the core area of jackal distribution in the country is currently located along the Sava River and its tributaries in the northern part of B&H. Jackals are sporadically present in the rest of the country, where gray wolves (Canis lupus) probably limit their presence. In total, jackal presence has been detected in 19% (109 out of 586) of 10%%%10 km grid cells covering the country. The primary factor driving the expanding population of jackals in northern B&H appears to be immigration of jackals from Croatia and Serbia.

• Language: English
• Keywords: golden jackal, Canis aureus, acoustic method, group density, expansion range, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: In print
• Number of pages: Str. 1-8
• Numbering: #Vol. #[v tisku], #iss. #[v tisku]
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-100746
• UDC: 630*15:630*14
• ISSN on article: 2199-241X
• DOI: 10.1007/s13364-018-0365-1
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5049766
• Publication date in RUL: 11.04.2018

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Mammal research
• Shortened title: Mammal res.
• Publisher: Springer Nature, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mammal Research Institute
• ISSN: 2199-241X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 520507417

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: zlati šakal, Canis aureus, akustična metoda, izzivanje oglašanja, gostota, razširjenost, Bosna in Hercegovina

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0059
• Name: Gozd, gozdarstvo in obnovljivi gozdni viri