This is a new step in the silent expansion of this discreet canid. The French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) confirmed on Monday, June 2, the presence of the golden jackal in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region, spotted in April in Castellane thanks to a video analyzed and then authenticated. This discovery attests to the continued progression of the species in France.
A predator from the East
Present in Europe for over two millennia, the golden jackal was until the 1960s mainly confined to the Balkans. Its westward migration has accelerated in recent decades, particularly from Bulgaria, where it is proliferating today. In France, the first individual was observed in 2017 in Haute-Savoie. Since then, the canid has been spotted in 13 departments, in almost every region of France, with the notable exception of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Half fox, half wolf, weighing between 7 and 17 kilos, the animal is as intriguing as it is captivating. It can easily be confused with its cousins, even though its behavior and diet differ significantly. Omnivorous, it feeds on insects, small rodents, carrion, and even fruit, and has not been known to attack livestock, unlike the wolf.
A species still discreet, but on the move
So far, no breeding has been observed on French soil, according to Pierre-Yves Quenette, head of the OFB. However, the simultaneous presence of two adults in the Camargue last November could signal the beginning of a lasting settlement. Less feared than the wolf, the golden jackal nevertheless remains a competitor for the fox, with which it shares its territory and part of its diet. The gradual expansion of this species therefore opens up new perspectives for wildlife specialists, who are called upon to closely monitor its evolution in the years to come.
