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I would like to hear the sound. Where can I listen to it?

I would like to hear it as well.

Hello all. The file is just over 10 mb so a lot of mail boxes wont accept it. I have converted it to a voice note on my blackberry so if you send me you bbm pin I can bbm it to you. We are still totally dumbfounded as to what animal this is. I was referred to GDACE and got hold of their mammal scientist and will take a recording to her on monday. I hope she can help us identify this animal. I am thinking more and more that this could be some exotic small predator as I find it hard to believe that up until now, no one has managed to identify this animal. It did its rounds again tonite and was quite close to my farm house again!

All who would like to hear the sound PM me and I will mail the mp3 file to you. Its only a few KB big.

My vote goes to Jackal judging by what I was told by a family member. We were staying with them on a property in Zwartkrans in the Cradle of Humankind and I remember being quite surprised at the odd sound we heard. They laughed and said not to worry, it's 2 jackal, probably male and female, making contact. They had a den about 800m from the main farmhouse. They only heard this sound when it was in use. Otherwise the normal jackal call. Always just after nightfall or just before daybreak. Interesting is the mention that the sound "jumps". We were told it's because there were 2 jackal calling. If all this is true I do not know.

It will be really interesting to hear what the experts say about it.

Were what we were told accurate or can I actually tell them, "There's an interesting animal on your property."

My wild guess, a Jackal, but very young, just ouuta being a Juvi.

She is alone and ready to go, but all alone.

Agree with Scipio.

Lone and lost jackal calling for help.

that makes me sad

I have listened to the sound now (thanks LaeveldLeeu ) and my first thought - also one of the many jackal cries/barks/howls. SO totally disagrees

I passed it on to someone I thought would know and he too is not completely sure and has suggested perhaps Serval?? He is going pass it around to people that may be in the know and when I hear from him I will let you know.

In the meantime littlejohn, have a listen here (just search jackal) various jackal calls that you might be able to connect with what you are hearing???

Ok, I have received some feedback from the guys "in the know" who are confident it is a Cape Fox

What area are you in littlejohn? The Cradle?

Cape Fox??!!

If that is so, you'll have Duco camping there next time to get a picture of it!!

Hello everyone! I took a copy of the sound to Gauteng Dept of Agriculture, Conservation and Enviroment and played it to their animal scientist. She was unsure and will be comming to my farm next tuesday with some helpers to look for spoor and scat. I am going this afternoon to buy a camera trap which will help us identify this animal. It has become an obsession! It visited last night and took a chicken (dead) that I left out as bait. I have hidden just about every night waiting for this animal but it seems to know. Eventually I get bored and go inside to make coffee or something and when I return it has been and gone. it is very frustrating.

Mystery animal "sort of" identified!!!! I set up the camera trap tonight and it was activated, recording about 5 seconds of footage of a fox! I think it is a cape fox but it is difficult to make out exactly. I will set it up tomorrow night and try to get more footage and perhaps we will be able to positively identify what fox it is. Thank you to all those who tried to help us with identification. It has been a puzzle for the last six months.

Oh wow, Littlejohn I remember you saying that you wondered if it might be an "exotic" animal that had escaped. It might not be exotic, but it is certainly not an animal I would have thought of.

I did think fox, it was so dog like, but then thought of the area and dismissed it.

Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us and allowing us to share in the mystery. You have had many of us on our toes.

Are you going to get someone to try to "rezone" it? There is no doubt in my mind that it was very lucky to stumble on your farm. It was not only fed, but you took the trouble to find out what it was. Any other place and it might well have been a deceased Fox. Poor little thing.

Are Foxes a little more gregarious than Jackal?