Examining the Population Status and Distribution of the Golden Jackal Canis aureus, Linnaeus 1758, on Samos Island

Dunford, C., Trayler, A., Giannatos, G, Miliou, A., Anagnostou, V. Examining the Population Status and Distribution of the Golden Jackal Canis aureus, Linnaeus 1758, on Samos Island. 35th Annual Conference of the Hellenic Society of Biological Sciences 2013.

 

Introduction:

Samos stands as the sole Mediterranean island where significant populations of the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) thrive. Across Greece, the species’ populations witnessed a decline from 1970 to 1990. Post-1990s, there were signs of population stabilization in this species, with localized increases observed in certain areas. Population declines were due to intensified agricultural practices, livestock farming, and intentional poisonings. The subspecies (C. a. moreoticus) present in Samos ranks among the largest globally, weighing up to 13kg and measuring up to 125cm in body length.