jackal
A medium-sized carnivorous mammal of the dog family, native to Africa, Asia, and southeastern Europe, known for scavenging and hunting small prey. / A person who is opportunistic, treacherous, or who profits from the misfortunes of others.
Noun
pl: jackals
The term evokes a sense of opportunistic survival, rooted in the animal's behavior of scavenging after larger predators. When applied to humans, it carries a strong negative connotation of predatory opportunism, suggesting someone who lacks the courage to hunt their own success and instead waits for others to collapse.
In a social or political context, calling someone a jackal implies a lack of honor or loyalty. It describes a specific type of malice where the individual does not necessarily cause the disaster but is the first to arrive to exploit the wreckage for personal gain.