THE HISTORIC HOWLERS …A majestic golden jackal strikes a pose after being spotted on the outskirts of Dhaka recently. This wolf-like canid is native to Southeast Europe, Central Asia, western Asia, South Asia and regions of Southeast Asia, and prefers dry open country, arid short grasslands and steppe landscapes as habitats.

The ancestor of the golden jackal is believed to be the Arno River dog – and extinct species that lived in southern Europe 1.9 million years ago. Studies indicate that the golden jackal expanded from India around 20,000 years ago.

Photo: Timu Hossain

The oldest golden jackal fossil was 7,600 years old and found in Lebanon as the species expanded out of India and into Eurasia to reach the Middle East and Europe at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum and the beginning of the warming cycles. Today, the golden jackal has widespread distribution across its ranges and thus, is in the "Least Concern" category of the IUCN Red List.