The first confirmed presence of the golden jackal in Poland occurred in 2015. Now, less than 10 years later, this predator has appeared in the Białowieża Forest. Although it resembles the gray wolf, it is smaller but much larger than the red fox.
– I wonder how he will find his way in an ecosystem full of other predators, especially dozens of wolves, who will greet him with fangs and claws instead of bread and salt – asks Michal Szymihorski, director of the Institute of Mammalian Biology at the Poland Academy of Sciences.
Its presence in Poland may be a result of climate changes that contribute to the spread of this species in Europe. Two decades ago, the golden jackal was considered a highly exotic species, but now the situation is changing.
Zoologists expect that as temperatures rise, new species of animals, not just the golden jackal, may appear in Poland. Potential “guests” include new species of parrots, bats and spiders.
This highlights the importance of understanding the impact of climate change on ecosystems and environmental awareness. Knowledge about new species, as the example from Białowieża Forest shows, is invaluable because new arrivals are already here.
“Coffee enthusiast. Troublemaker. Incurable introvert. Subtly charming twitter scholar. Award-winning social mediaholic. Internet buff.”
