New study shows golden jackals thriving in Mumbai's mangroves!

A 2024 study shows that golden jackals (Canis Aureus) are still thriving in Mumbai’s mangrove areas, even as the city continues to grow and encroach on their habitat. The study, done by the Wildlife Conservation Society-India and the Mangrove and Marine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, tracked the jackals in areas like Gorai, Manori, and Vashi. While their habitat has shrunk, the jackals are adapting well to the changes. Their southernmost habitat is limited to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

Researchers set up camera traps over 938 nights and captured nearly 3,000 images. Around 790 of these showed golden jackals, indicating a healthy population with signs of year-round breeding, including pups and lactating females. The jackals are mostly active at night to avoid human contact.

However, the study also highlighted some challenges. There is a risk of jackals mating with feral dogs, which could weaken the species. There are also concerns about disease spread, like rabies, which was recently found in a few jackals.