Jackals are fast, wiry little animals that grow to the size of an Irish terrier. Because they are so fast, they are unafraid of animals even six times their size.
Jackals live in Africa and are closely related to dogs. They are one of the few mammals that mate for life and share their food with all members of their family.
One of the most remarkable things about jackals is that they encourage their young to stay around the family den even after they are old enough to go out on their own. The parents do this by constantly cleaning and loving the year-old jackal and by continuing to share their food with it.
In return, the young jackal helps find food and protects the next litter of pups that its mother and father have.
Only when it reaches 2 years of age does the young jackal seem to feel that it is time to leave and start its own family. And it is right, for there is now another “mother’s helper” ready to take its place.
