Golden Jackal

Jackal, golden

Species	canine
No. Appearing	3–6
Behaviour	family
Range	barrens, desert, rainforest, savanna, steppe, woodland
Size	30 in. long
Weight	28 lbs.
Intelligence	3
Armour Class	7
Hit Dice	1
Action Points	5
Max. Stride	9
THAC0	20
Hp/Die	d3
Attack Forms	bite
Damage	1–4
Special Attacks	none

The golden jackal is a wolf-like mammal that is native from the Balkans to Southeast Asia. The smallest of the grey wolves, the jackal is smaller and possesses shorter legs, a shorter tail, a more enlongated torso and a narrower and more pointed muzzle. Its coat varies in colour from a pale creamy yellow in summer to dark tawny beige in winter. They are abundant along rivers, canals, lakes and seashores, and avoid foothills and mountainous areas. They form families, with a breeding pair and young occupying areas where there are few or no wolves.

They have no special attacks. As pests, they often raid camps for food, and can be heard howling in the night. This sound is often mistaken for wolves by those who are unfamiliar with the difference. They have been known to join wolf packs, scavenging off wolf kills without encountering hostility from the wolves. In some instances in India, lone jackals have formed relationships with tigers, feeding on the big cat's kills. These jackals will warn the tiger of coming danger.

See Bestiary