Applied ecology and golden jackal specific ecological systems in Romania

RoHilac BioStars  TECHNICAL PLAN (2016-2020)

by Ovidiu C. Banea

Problem: Despite every effort of conservationist NGOs and hunters to clarify and tranquilize public regarding jackal ecology and behaviour, the image of the golden jackals in Romania is still very bad and species misconception is given every day even through mass-media.
Species is not known and its name is used often when problems exists related to damages in game species, domestic mammals and birds without verified evidence.
Lastly, an announcement of population exponential growth of 7 times in the last 14 years was interpreted like an alert for mass-media and journalists began to frighten (here).
Normally, it happens when a relative new species spreads in a new territory. In Romania jackals are reported now in 28 of 41 counties and the total numbers is estimated as being 6.000 individuals; in the same areas the total numbers of foxes is estimated as being of 17.000 individuals).

Jackal supposed and unverified damages to poultry near human settlements are also incriminated to re-open and validate hunting in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve after 5 years of prohibition. A child is supposed that was eaten by jackals when some bones were found near a den (ProTV news), dozens of sheep were eaten by jackals (here), or invasion of the beast in Gorj county are only few titles.

RoHilac BioStars 

RoHilac BioStars (RoJackal) biodiversity and human activity in jackal specific ecological systems is a technical plan initiated by Crispus NGO Sibiu in January 2016 which will contain several projects and activities with the aim of a better understanding of species ecosystems, biotic and ecological relations.

During 2016-2020 period Ecology Department of Crispus NGO Sibiu Romania together with researchers from GAHSF (AGVPS) - General Association of Hunters and Sports Fishermen Romania, specialists from USAMV Cluj-Napoca and international partners will perform different activities within the technical plan RoHilac BioStars (RoJackal), biodiversity and human activity in relation with the golden jackals in Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, hunting terrains and other natural areas from central and western parts of Romania.

Goal: Applied ecology and sustainable management in target study areas and establishing, together with our partners and Romanian Environmental Board authorities delegates the Conservation and Management Action Plan in jackal specific ecological systems of Romania.

TEAM - preliminary activities (Cernica, January 2016)

Ovidiu C. Banea (Ecology Department NGO Crispus Sibiu)

Cristian R. Papp (WWF Romania)

Neculai Selaru (Executive President of AGVPS-GAHSF, Romania)

Vladimir H. Talpes (Director of GAHSF, Romania)

Calin M. Gherman (USAMV Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
Angela M. Ionică (USAMV Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

International expert researchers of jackal species, collaborators of RoHilac BioStars PLAN

Duško Ćirović (Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia)
Nikolai Spassov (National History Museum, Sofia Bulgaria)
Giorgos Giannatos (Department of Zoology - Marine Biology, School of Biology, University of Athens, Greece)

A cooperation protocol was signed between Ecology Department of Crispus NGO Sibiu and General Association of Hunters and Sports Fishermen from Romania GAHSF-AGVPS and a technical worksheet was written as support for the fieldwork. 

Cernica 18th of January 2016

First activity took place in neighbourhood of Bucharest and was organized by AGVPS (GAHSF). During the last 3 weeks 16 jackals and 4 red foxes were legally removed from hunting terrains in Southern Romania). Biometry, parazitology and age determination were performed for jackals and diet analysis (macroscopic stomach content) was performed for boths jackal and foxes.

Results: 

After collecting biometric data (total weight, length, high, toracic circumference, interauricular distance, foots lenght and width) we performed age classification and stomach removal. At the end the carcasses were taken to USAMV Cluj-Napoca for further endoparazitological and anatomical studies.

Age determination was performed for 14 jackals: 10 were estimated as being approx 9-10 months old, 2 of them were estimated as being 21-22 months old (almost 2 years) and the other 2 were estimated as being 33-34 months old (3 years). We used classic method of clovers shape of observed incisives, pulp-cavity/tooth witdh ratios to classified juveniles less than 1 years old and counting of layers of dentine cementum in longitudinal profiles of the right upper canine.

Stomach content: 5 of 16 stomachs were empty. The rest of them contained one or more items: fruits (in 2 stomachs), plant materials (in 4 stomachs), hair of domestic ungulates (in 1 stomach), scavenged dog (in 2 stomachs), wildboar hair and skin (in 4) and indigestible material (in 2).  Three of the red foxes stomachs were empty and one contained fruits.

Genetics: To a better understanding of cluster genetic variability and period of settlement we sampled tissues and we will perform genetic studies for each of the collected specimens.