Life-history traits, anthropogenic expansion and conservation problems of the golden jackals in Europe Luca LAPINI & Ovidiu C BANEA

Index ●Adaptability, life-history traits ●The golden jackal distribution area in Europe ●Anthropogenic expansion ●Conservation status ●Conclusions

Objective and Methods The aim of this work is to present an overview of the knowledge on life- history traits, distribution and conservation status of the golden jackal in Europe. Methods: extensive review of available literature, harvest data statistics and local expert opinion.

Life-history traits Age at first reproduction: 1 year Number and size of offspring: 2-8, g Lifespan and ageing: 16 years (captivity) Ivory, A "Canis aureus" (On-line) Jackal, like other canids is a good runner with long endurance exercise good swimmer with well-developed senses It seems that uses r-Strategy (high growth rate) which is very important in unstable or unpredictable environments or hunting terrains (Loss of territoriality and more breeding due to the lack of alfa members and consequently the interactions between members of uncomplete groups) RESULT Increase of the population density as measure of adaptation to hunting anthropogenic pressure.

Adaptability r = High fecundity, small body size??, early maturity onset (1 year), short generation time ??, and the ability to disperse offspring widely ??, population sizes can change much more rapidly Also K traits: constant numbers and lives near carrying capacity in countryside and anthropic areas if the environment supports them: -Waste dump (Trpanj: more than 21 individuals) -Hunting farms (Giurgiu, Calarasi, Timisoara) -Fishing areas (Danube Delta: more than 18 individuals) -Chicken slaughter (Sava lowlands, Belgrade) -Agrorural (Alture di Polazzo, Gorizia)

Distribution map in Europe (2012) The present European range of the species encompasses Greece, Albania, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia - Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Ukraine, Estonia, Moldova, Latvia

Distribution map in Europe (2012)

Anthropogenic expansion In many European countries expansion trends have been manifested also in populations of quite small dimensions. Creation of the population High frequency of vagrants Ideal environmental characteristics Positive human attitude toward the species. Possibles The extermination of wolves in Central and Southern Europe (1), The past legal protection in various core areas of the species as occurred in Bulgaria(2), The general amelioration of the situation of various small game-species (3), The general increase of the cultural level and environmental sensitivity of European hunters (4)

CONSERVATION Holistic approach to system not to species To find the key node species: (1) Who eats whom? (2) At what rate? -Matrix

CONSERVATION Canis aureus L is included in IUCN Red List in Least Concern category in 2004 (Criteria Version 3.1: IUCN, 2001). In 1996 it was included in – Lower Risk/Least Concern category (Baillie and Groombridge 1996) (in JHALA & MOEHLMAN 2008). CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of the Wild Fauna and Flora, signed by 80 countries in Washington D.C. on 3 rd of March 1973) lists the jackal in Appendix III. This Appendix contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other The EC Habitats Directive (92/43 of ) (European Union members only) lists the jackal in ANNEX V. In this ANNEX are included animal and plant species of community interest whose taking in the wild and exploitation may be subject to management measures. same as for Mustela putorius, Rupicapra rupicapra or Martes All EU member states are bound by the Convention’s provisions. The appendices to the Bern Convention served for the annexes to the EC Habitats Directive 92/43. Appendix III of Bern Convention with species that are in need of protection but may be hunted or otherwise exploited in exceptional instances does not include jackal as protected animal species, but it is mentioned in ANNEX V of EC Habitats Directive 92/43.

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