No, it’s not a werewolf, but still, don’t rush over to scratch its belly. Last week, a farmer in Groningen spotted a golden jackal on his land. The species originates from Asia but has been moving towards the Netherlands for some time now.
Interestingly, this is not the first time a jackal has been spotted in the lowlands, but previously they have been recorded on wildlife cameras. However, this is the first time the animal has been sighted in person.
A very special animal
Jan Kolhorn, the farmer who spotted the jackal, tells RTL Nieuws that “I sat on the tractor and saw that it was a special animal.” When he saw the fine creature, he rushed to pick up his camera and film it. He then showed the film to some local hunters and experts. “They were immediately delighted and said it was a golden jackal.”
Akkerbouwer bij Uithuizermeeden spot goudjakhals (Canis aureus): https://t.co/kGdQyMPUsQ pic.twitter.com/4a7cVQ0OqG
— Albert-Erik (@aedewinter) May 4, 2021
Sheep killed
Apparently, the golden jackal usually dwells in the warmer parts of Europe, such as Greece and the Balkans. However, it has recently migrated to cooler climates, having been spotted in parts of Scandinavia as well as the Netherlands. This could be thanks to our increasingly warm weather.
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Even though jackals are fairly new in the Netherlands, there have already been some casualties. Glenn Lelieveld of the Wolvenmeldpunt explains that they usually eat mice, but a few sheep in the Netherlands have already been bitten to death by a golden jackal. Lelieveld calls this “very rare behaviour.”
Jackals in the Netherlands!? What are your thoughts on this interesting find? Let us know in the comments below!
Feature Image: Alpcem/Pixabay