Golden jackal rescued from residential area in Navi Mumbai

The jackal was taken to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

A GOLDEN jackal was rescued from near a residential society in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday midnight. The adult female jackal was dehydrated and had minor injuries. This is the second jackal rescued from Navi Mumbai this year. The golden jackal is a protected species. It is known to frequent mangrove areas in search of crabs and other prey. The residential society in Navi Mumbai lies next to a mangrove patch.

The jackal was spotted by residents, who initially confused it to be a dog. After realising that it was not a dog, they contacted RAWW (Resqink Association of Wildlife Welfare). Pawan Sharma, RAWW president, said, “The animal was active but there was no reason to believe it would attack the rescuers, so it was not tranquilised.”

The jackal was taken to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). It will be released in the wild once declared safe. “The area will be mapped to look for the path the jackal took to enter the society and will be released within a three-four km radius of where it was found,” Sharma added.

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According to RAWW, every year the organisation carries out three-seven jackal rescues in and around Mumbai. The organisation has sought a scientific study to map the jackal population, habitat and reason behind sightings in populated areas.

In February, a golden jackal was rescued from a 25-ft well in Airoli. In 2018, a golden jackal died in an accident on Eastern Express Highway.