Many people wonder if jackals and hyenas are the same animal, often due to their appearances and roles in African ecosystems. While both are carnivorous mammals found in similar environments, they are fundamentally different creatures. Despite superficial resemblances, a close look at their biology and behavior reveals they are distinct species.
Biological Classification
Jackals belong to the Canidae family, which is the biological family of dogs. This means jackals are closely related to domestic dogs, wolves, and foxes. The term “jackal” commonly refers to three species: the golden jackal (Canis aureus), the black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas), and the side-striped jackal (Lupulella adusta). These canids are found across Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe.
Hyenas, on the other hand, have their own unique biological family called Hyaenidae. This family includes four extant species: the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea), and the aardwolf (Proteles cristata). Despite their dog-like appearance, hyenas are phylogenetically closer to felines and viverrids (like civets and mongooses) than to canids.
Key Distinguishing Features
Physical appearance differentiates jackals and hyenas. Hyenas are significantly larger and more robust, weighing between 90 and 190 pounds and standing up to 36 inches tall at the shoulder. Jackals are much smaller, typically weighing 12 to 31 pounds and reaching approximately 20 inches in height. Hyenas have a distinctive sloping back due to longer forelegs, a feature less prominent in the jackal’s balanced build. Hyenas also have larger heads and powerful jaws, while jackals have more pointed muzzles and slender builds.
Vocalizations also set them apart. Jackals communicate using howls, yelps, barks, and growls, with howling used for territorial defense and locating pack members. Hyenas are known for their wide range of sounds, including whoops, groans, and the famous “giggle.” This complex vocalization is for social communication, often indicating stress or agitation within their hierarchy. Spotted hyenas, for instance, use giggles to convey information about their age, identity, and social status.
Their social structures and hunting behaviors also differ. Jackals are often solitary or live in monogamous pairs, cooperating in hunting and raising young. Some species, like the black-backed jackal, may form small family groups. Hyenas, particularly spotted hyenas, live in large, complex social groups called clans, numbering up to 90 individuals and typically matriarchal. While jackals are opportunistic omnivores that hunt small to medium-sized animals and scavenge, hyenas are powerful predators capable of hunting large prey, with strong jaws designed to crush bones.
Common Misconceptions and Shared Traits
The common confusion between jackals and hyenas often arises from shared ecological roles and overlapping habitats. Both are carnivores found in similar African and Asian environments, including savannas and grasslands. They also engage in scavenging, consuming carrion left by other predators, which contributes to their perceived similarities. This shared behavior sometimes leads to the mistaken belief that they are closely related.
Despite superficial resemblances, their fundamental biological differences confirm they are separate species. Both play a role in their ecosystems as opportunistic feeders, but their distinct evolutionary paths, physical attributes, social organizations, and primary hunting strategies differentiate them. Jackals are not hyenas; they simply occupy similar ecological niches in some regions, a result of convergent evolution where unrelated species develop similar traits due to similar environmental pressures.