Black-backed Jackal
Sounds & Calls

The Black-backed Jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) is medium-sized, slender canid found in southern and eastern Africa. This species is also known as Canis mesomelas.

What does a Black-backed Jackal sound like? Black-backed Jackals make a variety of sounds and are best known for their loud, high-pitched wailing howls. These downslurred howling calls usually waver in pitch and are often given in chorus as individual jackals respond when they hear the call of another pack member. This jackal species makes other sounds including yelps, yaps, barks and cackles. They often bark in alarm and call repeatedly when a predator is nearby. Black-backed Jackals will also howl in response to the roars of a lion or whoops of a Spotted Hyena, and conversely, lions sometimes roar in response to the sound of a jackal calling.

The mournful howl of the Black-backed Jackal is an evocative sound of the African bush at night. Calling is most frequent just after dusk and in the early morning before dawn. 

Listen to some examples of Black-backed Jackal calls and sounds below.