The Black-backed Jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) is a species of canid native to Eastern and Southern Africa. They are very opportunistic and are often compared to as an Old World equivalent to the coyote of North America, for their cleverness and adaptive behavior. They are often seen hanging around the super predators of the savanna, such as lions, spotted hyenas, cheetahs, African wild dogs, and African leopards, trying to scavenge or steal scraps from their kills, much to their annoyance. However, they are also great hunters, and will often hunt prey like impalas and warthogs piglets. They will hunt smaller prey like rodents, lizards, African collared doves, greater flamingos, and guineafowl. Even smaller carnivores aren't off the menu, and they'll hunt African wildcats. Like many canids, they are monogamous, meaning they mate for life. They'll work together to raise their pups, often one parent staying at the den to protect the pups, while the other goes off to hunt for food. Sometimes when jackals aren't raising pups at the time, they'll form loose packs with other jackals so they can hunt large prey like Thomson's gazelles or search for large carcasses to feed on communally. They'll use these numbers so they don't lose kills to other carnivores they compete with like caracals and honey badgers.