Black backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) with mange. Mange is a highly contagious skin disease of mammals caused by parasitic mites and occasionally communicable to humans. The mites burrow through the animal's skin causing intense itching and irritation. The scratching that results from mange is what causes the majority of the animal's hair to fall out. It is therefore characterised by severe itching, hair loss, and the formation of scabs and lesions. Photographed at the Okaukuejo waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia.