Golden jackal captured for the first time in Vienna

According to the Boku, there have been indications of sightings of golden jackals (Canis aureus) in Vienna for quite some time, but so far there is no evidence.

Fox and golden jackal easily confused
Suspected golden jackals in photos would turn out to be foxes upon closer inspection. “To the untrained eye, foxes and golden jackals are easy to confuse. Distinguishing features are the golden jackal’s much shorter tail and light-colored ears,” explains Jennifer Hatlauf of the Boku Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management.

A smaller member of the dog family, the golden jackal is slightly larger than a fox. Still very rare at the beginning of the 20th century, the species has naturally spread from its native habitat in the Balkans to Europe in recent decades. There has been isolated evidence in Austria since 1987.

Golden jackal observed in almost all of Austria
According to Boku, the golden jackal has been found in Vienna in all states except Vorarlberg. The Viennese forestry director Andreas Januskovecz was not surprised on the broadcast about the first detection of the golden jackal in Vienna: “The strong increase in the annual average temperature, especially in and around Vienna, which has been occurring for several years as a result of the climate crisis, has fostered immigration of this wild species.”

Rare sightings
“He’s not dangerous to humans and is very rarely seen because he’s very shy,” Hatlauf explains. The scientific examination of the Viennese golden jackal that was killed revealed that it was a young male with a total weight of about twelve kilograms. In further analyses, the scientists want to learn more about the animal’s health, nutrition and origin. Investigations can be supported by reporting sightings with photo or video evidence or carcasses.