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Dingo (Canis lupus dingo)
Conservation Status
International: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species)
Victoria: Threatened (Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988)
In 2008 the Dingo was declared a “Threatened Species” in Victoria. The Dingo is also
protected in Federal National Parks, World Heritage areas, Aboriginal reserves, the
Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. However, the dingo is a
declared pest throughout much of its remaining range, and landholders are obliged to
manage populations.
Description
Dingoes were introduced to Australia from South-east Asia between 3 500 years to 11 000 years ago. As Australia’s largest predator they
occupy an important ecological niche that is important for maintaining the balance of animals within ecosystems. They help suppress
populations of feral animals, and findings of research funded by FAME suggest that they help maintain populations of endangered species
by excluding introduced feral predators like cats and foxes.
The Dingo is a medium built dog of great nimbleness and agility with a head and body length of 860 - 980 mm and tail length of 260 - 380
mm. Adults generally weigh between 10kgs and 20kgs. Although Dingos are typically ginger in colour with white feet, chest and tail tip,
they can also be sable, black, and white. The outward appearance also varies considerably from the sinewy, single-coated dog of the
tropical far north, to the fox-like, thick double-coated dog of the colder southern mountain regions, or the smaller, finer dog of the arid
regions.
They are distinguished from domesticated dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) by their short coats, erect ears, characteristic skull shape and
teeth and, most importantly an annual, rather than biannual, breeding cycle.
Behaviour
Dingos are highly intelligent, strongly individualistic, affectionate, but cautious animals. They are highly skilled, natural predators with
highly developed senses of sight, scent and hearing. They are strongly territorial and form lifetime bonds with family, either Dingo or
Human. Cat-like in their agility, Dingoes use their paws like hands, and like to survey their surroundings from a height. Although they
seldom bark, Dingoes have a wide variety of vocalisations from a howl to the high pitched yodel, yelp, crow and purr.
Distribution
Historically, found throughout mainland Australia. The dingo is now extinct in much of
the sheep and cereal production zones of eastern and southern Australia because of
habitat modification and the success of early poisoning campaigns.
Diet
Dingoes are predominantly carnivorous, but will eat a wide variety of foods including
plant material and insects.
Threats
The two main threats to the dingo are hybridisation with domestic dogs (Canis lupus
familiaris) and pest animal eradication programs, conducted by state governments at the
behest of the farming industry. Scientists believe that there will be no pure dingoes in
the wild within 20 years. These two threats are interconnected. Dingos within intact
packs are not very likely to breed with domestic dogs. Whereas packs that are disrupted
as a result of poisoning and trapping programs, are more likely to hybridise.
Conservation Measures
Adapted from Fleming et al. 2001
Fig. 1 Distribution of dingoes in Australia. Dog fe nce represented by bold black line. R
from Fleming et al. (2001).
The dingo has been nominated as a threatened species in the State of NSW, where it is presently regarded as a pest animal. Several Dingo
Dingo control
measures
the Northern of
Territory
have been
far wild
less intensive
than in o
conservation societies have instigated captive breeding programs. Sadly a major
obstacle
to theinrestoration
the Dingo
to the
is
and Territories, and as a result, there has been little or no change in the distribution of
that of human fear and prejudice.
the Northern Territory. This is largely because livestock production has been restricted
cattle which are less susceptible to dingo predation than sheep (Fleming and Korn 198
al. 2001).
References & More Information
Dingo CARE Network. http://www.dingo.org.au
Dingo Sanctuary. http://www.dingosanctuary.com.au/about_dingoes.htm
2.4
Conservation Status
Fleming P., Corbett L., Harden B. and Thomson P. 2001. Managing the impacts of dingoes and other wild dogs. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra.
Dingoes remain common throughout the Northern Territory with the exception of the T
Simpson Deserts where they are relatively sparse due to the lack of available drinking
However, localised concentrations of dingoes do exist in this region where watering po
been introduced, such as on pastoral properties, in mining areas and near areas of hum
habitation.
May-15
www.fame.org.au
Currently, the species is not classified as Threatened under either Territory or Commo
legislation. However, the dingo has recently been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Re
Endangered Species due to the threat of hybridisation to the national dingo population