May 4, 2026 – Golden jackals have settled in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein for the first time, according to Germany’s DBBW, the Federal Documentation and Consultation Centre on Wolves.
A territorial pair of golden jackals was identified in the district of Plön in eastern Schleswig-Holstein by their characteristic howling, with nine documented sound recordings over about two weeks, DBBW said in a statement on April 20. Golden jackals have relatively small territories of two to ten square kilometers, the centre said.
DBBW is not disclosing a precise location, saying the animals are sensitive to disturbances. The first evidence of the golden jackal in Germany was recorded in Brandenburg in 1997, and the species was first detected in Schleswig-Holstein in 2017.
The original distribution area of the golden jackal includes semi-deserts, steppes, forest and agricultural landscapes from South Asia to southeastern Europe, according to the centre. Golden jackals have been spreading to central and northern Europe for several decades, with studies indicating climate change, mild winters and changes in the cultural landscape are favouring the predator’s spread, DBBW said.
The species is “significantly smaller” than the wolf and more likely to be confused with foxes. The golden jackal is a carnivore that feeds on a large variety of prey animals, including rodents, reptiles, birds and insects, as well carrion, berries, fruit and municipal waste.
The golden jackal pair was recorded as part of wolf monitoring efforts, according to DBBW.