PRELIMINARY DIET RESEARCH ON GOLDEN JACKAL (Canis aureus aureus) IN EASTERN CROATIA

U posljednjih petnaestak godina uočeno je značajno povećanje brojnosti populacije čaglja (Canis aureus aureus Linnaeus, 1758) u istočnoj Hrvatskoj. Budući da je grabežljivac, smatra se da povećanom brojnošću čini znatne štete u lovištu, prvenstveno hraneći se plemenitim vrstama divljači. U cilju provjere ove tvrdnje te utvrđivanja njegovih hranidbenih navika analiziran je sadržaj 40 želudaca čagljeva odstrijeljenih tijekom jedne lovne godine, pri čemu je pronađeno: dlake divlje svinje (kod 14 primjeraka), dlake i mišićno tkivo srneće divljači (3), mali glodavci (7), perje fazana (2), ostaci domaće svinje i peradi (12), beskralješnjaci i njihove ličinke (4), jaje (1), divlje i kultivirano voće, dudovi, šljive, višnje, glog (9), kukuruz u raznim fazama zriobe (6), zrnje suncokreta (3), sjemenke amorfe (1), lišće raznih trava (3) i otpaci anorganskog podrijetla (plastična folija). Za pretpostaviti je da su meso i dlaka podrijetlom od žive (srna) odnosno ranjene divljači (divlja svinja) ili da su pojedene nakon nepravilnog odlaganja sirovina animalnog podrijetla u lovištu. Mali glodavci u želucu potječu od primjeraka koje su čagljevi ulovili prvenstveno na poljoprivrednim površinama. Evidentno je da čagalj u pre-hrani koristi i različite vrste voća ovisno o godišnjem dobu odnosno vremenu njihova dozrijevanja. Može se zaključiti da je čagalj primarno izvrstan sanitarac u lovištu, budući da se prvenstveno hrani lešinama i otpacima u lovištu, a tek u njihovom nedostatku uzima hranu biljnog podrijetla odnosno lovi drugu dostupnu divljač, čime predstavlja potencijalnu štetočinu u lovištu.In the past fifteen years a considerable increase of golden jackal (Canis aureus aureus) population was perceived on the territory of east Croatia. Since the golden jackal is a predator, it may be concluded that the increased number can cause a significant damage in the hunting grounds, especially by feeding on noble game. For the purpose of verification this assertion and determination of jackal consumption habits, 40 stomachs of the golden jackal were analyzed during the one year period. In that time various remains were found: wild boar hair (in 14 samples), hair and muscle tissue of roe deer (3), small rodents (7), pheasant feathers (1), remains of domestic pigs and poultry (12), vertebrates and their larvae (3), eggs (1), wild and cultivated fruits, (8), corn in different phases of ripening (2), sunflower seeds (1), grains of Amorfa fruticosa (1), leafs of different kinds of grass and herbs (3) and different inorganic litter (plastic foil). It could be presumed that meat and hair were from live (roe dear) or wounded game (wild boar) or those they were eaten after inappropriate disposal of animal remains in their hunting ground. Small rodents originate from animals which jackals caught on agricultural land. It is obvious that golden jackal also uses in its diet different fruits, depending on season and it’s ripening time. It may be concluded that golden jackal is primarily good cleaner in hunting grounds since he uses for its diet carcasses and litter, and only in their absence, he eats the food of non animal origin or hunts for other accessible game which turns him into vermin in those particular hunting grounds