Jeremy the jackal in for operation following accident

A severely injured jackal was rescued this week after a Centurion resident and wildlife rescue volunteer found him in Saxby Drive.

The jackal, which rescuers at Friends of Free Wildlife (FFW) have named Jeremy, was severely injured after being hit by a car.

Luckily FFW volunteer Korbette Marais found him in time to give him the much-needed medical care and a fighting chance at being released into the wild once more.

Marais told Rekord that she and her son were travelling on Saxby Avenue/Lyttelton Road on Monday morning when they saw an accident just before the low-water bridge.

“I immediately recognised that a jackal was hit by a car and was lying in the left-hand lane,” said Marais.

“We pulled over. Many concerned people were standing around but too scared to go near him.”

She said that she was not scared to pick up the jackal as it was in very bad shape.

“He was dazed and bleeding from the mouth. I also noticed the broken leg.”

Marais fetched a blanket from her car and covered Jeremy’s head to keep him calm.

Her son sat at the back of the car holding the jackal during the drive.

Marais called ahead to Margi Brocklehurst, CEO of Friends of Free Wildlife, who told her to immediately take Jeremy to their vet in Bryanston.

“On arrival, the staff and doctors were standing by and he was rushed inside.”

Jeremy had sustained a severe break to his femur and had fluid in the lungs, making operating on the leg difficult.

Brocklehurst told Rekord that vets could not operate on Jeremy while there was fluid in his lungs. They had to wait for his lungs to clear before a pin could be placed in his leg during a lengthy operation.

The jackal was expected to be operated on on Friday.

“We are very hopeful that he will make it through this,” Brocklehurst said.

“He will be coming to the centre if all goes well. The situation is very tenuous at the moment.”

Once Jeremy has made a full recovery, he will likely be released in a safe suitable area.

Jackals mate for life and usually hunt or scavenge in pairs.

They can be found across South Africa, and as they live opportunistic lifestyles, they can occupy most habitats.

While they are not usually known to live in highly developed areas, people have reported hearing jackals in residential areas near Midrand, according to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi).

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