Cattle predation by the golden jackal Canis aureus in the Golan Heights, Israel Original Research Article

About 1·5%–1·9% of the calves born in the Golan Heights die due to predation, mainly by golden jackals Canis aureus, and the total damage during 1993 was estimated at about US$ 42,000. Most attacks occur within 2 days after delivery, and male calves are more likely to be attacked than females, probably because they are heavier and more difficult to deliver. The high predation rate is a consequence of the artificially large population size of jackals, which is a result of food provided by humans in illegal garbage dumps. Farmers try to reduce the damage to cattle by illegal poisoning, thus affecting wildlife in the Golan.