KwaZulu-Natal
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg · Giants Castle · Kamberg
Self-drive
Stays in KwaZulu-NatalWhere to see
Where to see the Black-backed Jackal in South Africa
Hosts have recorded the Black-backed Jackal at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kruger National Park.
Lupulella mesomelas
Planning a trip
When and where to find the Black-backed Jackal
Hosts have recorded the Black-backed Jackal at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kruger National Park.
When to go, park by park
Here all yearEasiest viewing
| Park | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uKhahlamba-Drakensberg | Here | Here | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Here | Here | Here |
| Kgalagadi | Here | Here | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing | Easiest viewing |
Darker months are each park's own best season, when thinner bush or scarce water makes viewing easier. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Best hours of the day
- First and last hours of daylight. The Black-backed Jackal moves and hunts in the cool.
- Midday, resting. Usually lying up in shade and hard to spot.
- After dark, on a night drive. Where the reserve or park offers one.
Where to base yourself
- KwaZulu-Natal
Limpopo
Kruger · Timbavati · Welgevonden
LimpopoBig FiveSelf-driveGuided drivesStays in Limpopo
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
Mpumalanga
Sabi Sand
MpumalangaBig FiveGuided drivesStays in Mpumalanga
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
Guided drives from a lodge
A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.
Where hosts record it
Species
Lupulella mesomelas
Records
2,949
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Black-backed Jackal on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Black-backed Jackal in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Black-backed Jackal at stays in or beside uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Black-backed Jackal in South Africa?
The Black-backed Jackal is most recorded in Eastern Cape (17% of records), Limpopo (17% of records), Northern Cape (16% of records), based on 2,949 iNaturalist observations. 55 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Black-backed Jackal on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Black-backed Jackal?
The Black-backed Jackal is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Black-backed Jackal?
The black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas) is a medium sized canine native to eastern and southern Africa. These regions are separated by roughly 900 kilometers.
Stays that give back
Where to stay for a chance to see the Black-backed Jackal
Every stay on the Black-backed Jackal page lists the species its host has recorded on or near the property. A record is a sighting, never a promise.
See where to stay