Comments on: Very Strange Canid in Bale Mountains Ethiopia (RFI)

By: Alexander

Alexander — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:43:45 +0000

Can you please tell me what are those six species of Canis in Bale Mountains ?

By: Simon Langan

Simon Langan — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:38:14 +0000

Karen, met one on the ILRI campus today here in Addis, as a non zoologist it looked pretty similar to photo, perhaps a broader snout and not so noticeable dropped hind legs as in jackal. S

By: Frank Vincent

Frank Vincent — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 03:25:56 +0000

it could just be a northern color variant of the side-striped from higher elevations and a much wetter environment

By: Charles Foley

Charles Foley — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 12:32:39 +0000

I would agree with the Side striped jackal verdict. At first glance its certainly not what springs to mind, but I checked it against our photo database for Tanzania and both the body proportions and patterning on the throat, chest and sides match for this species. It is a very peculiar colour though.
Charles Foley
WCS

By: Jean-Marc Lernould

Jean-Marc Lernould — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:59:45 +0000

Please look at :
http://www.cepa-association.org/magazines/cepa_mag_23_DEF_LIGHT.pdf
page 3 for my photos taken in 1967 near Dinsho.
I thought it was Canis aureus at that time, with thick fur due to altitude.

For me a different canid from the one photographed by Smith, especially if looking at the other photos he took of that individual.

I think that “my” jackal could be the African wolf.

Let us hope that Anagaw will help understanding these taxonomic issues with genetics.

Jean-Marc Lernould

By: Karen Laurenson

Karen Laurenson — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 06:03:13 +0000

This is a great photo. I think I have also seen this canid near Dinsho in Bale (years ago and i wondered if a hybrid too) and also here in Addis Ababa in the last month. Its probably the ‘African wolf’ but it does have head charatcteristics of a side stripe jackal its true. Convergent evolution? I’ll try and get some photos and scats from Addis and connect with Anagaw to do the genetics
Karen Laurenson, FZS,

By: Steven Olson

Steven Olson — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:27:08 +0000

Yes, looks right for a side-striped. Check out also http://www.canids.org/species/Canis_adustus.htm

By: Jean-Marc Lernould

Jean-Marc Lernould — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:14:18 +0000

Hi Claudio and Frank,

I agree with you that this canid photographed near Rira is probably a side-striped jackal, confirmed by the other pictures sent by Coke Smith.
I have seen pictures of such a canid, a road kill, near Jimma.

However : Neumann described Canis kaffensis in 1902 as differing from side-striped jackal. He mentions two specimens sent from Addis Ababa living in Frankfurt zoo which did not exhibit side stripes permanently, suspecting this to be related to age or season.
Perhaps this canid on the pictures of Coke Smith corresponds to C. kaffensi. And it might be a species different of C. adustus.

By: Frank Vincent

Frank Vincent — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:59:17 +0000

The African wolf, looks more like a smaller version of North America’s ancient Red wolf , at least in the northern part of its range, the desert version of African wolves does look more like Arabian wolves, I’m convinced that this is a side-striped jackal,of which are cryptic and rarely seen, so they appear unfamiliar, great photo
Frank Vincent
Wild Dog Foundation

By: Frank Vincent

Frank Vincent — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:50:34 +0000

it is definately more like a side -striped jackal
Frank Vincent
The Wild Dog Foundation