Mumbai: Plastic part of urban golden jackals’ diet

Camera trap image of a golden jackal at Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary

A recent study conducted on golden jackals in Mumbai and the surrounding metropolitan region has revealed insights into their dietary preferences. Analysis of their scat indicates that 31.4 per cent of their diet consists of mammals, while 26.7 per cent is made up of plant matter. Additionally, the diet includes 14.3 per cent birds, 8.6 per cent crabs and 8.6 per cent reptiles, with 4.8 per cent being fish. Alarmingly, the analysis also found that 5.7 per cent of the scat contained plastic materials.

Wildlife Researcher Nikit Surve from Wildlife Conservation Society India said that the research has provided valuable information about golden jackals' distribution, diet, and interaction patterns with humans and domestic dogs. It has also documented other mammalian species found in this habitat.

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"The activity pattern shown by golden jackals in the study site was primarily nocturnal, with peaks during dawn and dusk, inversely proportional to human activity. Golden jackals showed temporal overlap with free-ranging dogs, highest in the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary and lowest in West Mumbai," said Nikit Surve.

Area-wise distribution of golden jackals in Mumbai

Between December 2022 and July 2023, the Wildlife Conservation Society - India, in partnership with the Mangrove Foundation, conducted a baseline survey on the distribution of golden jackals in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

"We collected a total of 38 scats over five months, from January 2023 to May 2023. In vegetative matter, seeds of Indian jujube (Ziziphus Mauritiana) could also be identified; along with a few different seeds. There have been a few incidents where we have come across small plastic particles in their scat," the report states.

Amongst the wild canids found in India, golden jackals are the most widespread species, occupying varied habitats ranging from forests and grasslands to agricultural landscapes. The mangrove ecosystem is one unique habitat used by golden jackals.

Historically, jackals existed in Mumbai when it was an archipelago of seven islands. About 109 years ago, golden jackals were documented being chased by a pack of wild dogs from Charni Road station to Marine Drive, as noted by Kothari and Chapghar in their book documenting India's wildlife from archival records. Today, golden jackals are restricted to the mangrove forests in the MMR.

There is very little information on golden jackals' ecology from this mangrove habitat of Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. Most information on jackals is based on opportunistic sightings from nature enthusiasts, bird watchers, and rescues done by various nature and wildlife-related NGOs. No data was available on the population and distribution of golden jackals until this study.

31.4%
Percentage of their diet that includes mammals