The golden jackal, a new species that has appeared in Finland in recent years, may include individuals that have wandered thousands of kilometres before coming to Finland. Several jackals have arrived in the country from the Baltics and other parts of Europe.
Genetic studies indicate that a jackal found dead in Sodankylä travelled up to 2,500 kilometres from Central Europe before reaching Finnish Lapland.
Other jackals included in the study were from Tromsø, Norway and the Iberian Peninsula, Spain. The Tromsø jackal may have originated from the Caucasus region and likely travelled 3,500 kilometres.
Researchers from the University of Oulu, together with Polish, Norwegian and Spanish researchers, investigated the origin and possible distribution routes of the three golden jackals found in the extreme areas of their distribution.
Previously, it was thought that the Sodankylä specimen came from an established population in the Baltics. Instead, it has been traced to a population living in Austria, Hungary and Poland.
Seven golden jackal sightings have been confirmed in Finland, the northernmost of them in Ivalo, Lapland. The first sighting was in the eastern town of Kajaani in 2018.
Adaptable newcomer
All the golden jackals studied so far were male and newly arrived. The study shows that the golden jackal can traverse long distances in quite different environmental conditions and establish new packs in very remote areas.
Although its main range includes North and East Africa as well as South and Southeast Asia, the species can also adapt to cold climates. Scientists say that climate change has encouraged its spread into northern Europe.
The study did not turn up any signs of interbreeding with dogs. Adult jackals typically weigh 8–11 kilos and avoid humans.
They may prey on smaller Finnish predators, as well as sheep, poultry, rodents and frogs.
Although some Centre Party politicians have called for the removal of the jackal from Finnish territory, it is protected by the Nature Conservation Act and may not be hunted.
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