Rescuers saved a juvenile side-striped jackal in Sheffield Beach last week, highlighting the impact of development on local wildlife.

The four-month-old jackal – found trapped under a rock on a farm bordering Seaton Estate and Elaleni Coastal Forest Estate – is now on the road to recovery thanks to the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) and local rescuers.

Maintenance workers were alerted by the animal’s cries. They rescued the distressed jackal and took it to Flag Animal Farm (which also serves as CROW’s local drop off point for injured animals) to be cared for before being taken to the animal rehabilitation centre in Durban. It is unclear how long the animal was stuck or why it became trapped.

“She was dehydrated, weak, infested with ticks and suffering from an inflamed vulva,” said CROW operations director, Clint Halkett-Siddall.

“The jackal is now receiving the specialised care and nutrition she needs to recover.”

Unlike black-backed and golden jackals, side-striped jackals are omnivores. Their diet includes fruits, berries, small insects, and small prey, which CROW will provide to restore her strength.

Side-striped jackals are elusive creatures found in woodlands and savanna regions across sub-Saharan Africa, and they are strictly nocturnal. The jackals are commonly found across the North Coast. They play a critical role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem by controlling insect and small animal populations.

Genevieve Chisholm, owner of Flag Animal Farm, said she used to often see side-striped jackals in the Sheffield Beach area at night, but not anymore.

“I saw them regularly on the dirt road. We even have some in Fairview Estate,” she said. “But I forget how developed this area has become, and what the developments are doing to the wildlife and ecosystems in the area.”

Chisholm said the jackal will not be returned to Sheffield Beach.

“She will be released back into a protected area where she will be safer.”

You can donate to the wildlife rehabilitation centre via the website at crowkzn.co.za/donate/.

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