The re-establishment of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in FYR Macedonia: Implications for conservation

Abstract

Golden jackals have been expanding across Europe in recent decades. In the former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) of Macedonia they have been considered extinct since the 1960s. Using a questionnaire survey and a camera trap study we provide the first unequivocal evidence for the re-establishment of the species in the country. The questionnaire survey indicated that golden jackals were present in the western and possibly present in the eastern parts of the country. The camera trap study recorded golden jackals on 155 occasions in central and north-western FYR Macedonia; five different individuals were identified, including one pup, while most jackal images were recorded during the night and morning hours. The results of the study are set in context to the limited information on the status and biology of the species and the urgent need for effective management and conservation actions for the golden jackal in FYR Macedonia.