Book reviewsThe Dingo Debate: Origins, Behaviour and Conservation

The ecological role of dingoes, wild (feral) dogs and their hybrids in the Australian landscape is a subject of intense debate and interest in the scientific literature of late (Wallach et al. 2009; Fleming et al. 2012; Allen et al. 2013, 2015; Hayward and Marlow 2014; Nimmo et al. 2015, to list just a few recent papers). This debate has invariably lead to the precipitation of two disparate views; (i) that of the dingo as an apex predatorwith beneficial wildlife management and conservancy effects through mesopredator and large herbivore suppression, or (ii) that of the wild/feral dog as responsible for significant livestock impacts necessitating its ongoing management and control. To that extent the nomenclature chosen by a person (either dingo or wild dog/hybrid) when referring to this large eutherian predator can typically polarise the discussion. Invariably, this apparent dichotomy has seen the position of the dingo/ wild dog/hybrid in Australian history, folklore and mainstream culture see-saw between that of unwanted rogue predator to unlikely hero, but seldom anywhere in between. Given that the fervour of discussions within the scientific literature over the role of dingoes/wild dogs in the Australian landscape show no sign of abating, the release of a book titled The Dingo Debate, would appear very timely indeed. However, this book does not delve deeply into this ‘hot bed’ of discussion as onemight expect from the running title (certainly a mistaken assumption that I made), instead focusing on the attributes that define a ‘true’ dingo. This book, edited (and authored) by Bradley Smith with contributions by RobAppleby, Chris Johnson, DamianMorrant, Peter Savolainen and Lyn Watson, focuses on the dingo in microscopic detail, and right from the word go, Bradley Smith states his unequivocal support and admiration for the dingo, proclaiming them to be ‘ythe king of the Australian bush’. The first two chapters of this book provide a highly detailed examination of the fundamental aspects of how ‘[d]ingoes are not dogs’, based on their physical, behavioural, genetic and cognitive attributes. This is followed up by chapter 3 which provides an in depth exploration of the origins of dingoes in Australia based on literature pertaining to historical and contemporary investigations, includingmore recent genetic analyses. The next three chapters focus on human–dingo interactions, with chapter 4 The role of dingoes in Indigenous Australian lifestyle, culture and spirituality, providing an excellent in depth description and discussion of an aspect of dingo/wild dog history which is not often explored or described in such detail. In the next two chapters Rob Appleby explores the inevitable negative interactions between dingoes and livestock, and dingoes and humans respectively. However, chapter 5 Dingo–human conflict: attacks on livestock, seemingly glosses over some of the more pertinent points of this highly contentious topic, particularly when compared to chapter 6Dingo–human conflict: attacks on humans which is a comprehensive investigation of a range factors and drivers behind dingo attacks on humans, using Fraser Island as a case study. Chapter 7 reads much like a manual on methods with which to study dingoes, whilst in chapter 8 An ecological view of the dingo, Chris Johnson outlines the dynamic interplay of dingoes/wild dogs and suppression of mesopredators in the context of trophic cascades. The following two chapters (9 and 10) provide a detailed investigation by Bradley Smith into the cognitive capabilities of dingoes, via the use of several scientific experiments designed to test the problem solving ability of his test subjects. The final two chapters, co-authored by Bradley Smith, discuss the current and future role(s) of dingo sanctuaries in conservingdingoes and a synopsis ofwhat the futuremay hold for the dingo respectively. Of the 12 chapters presented in this book, Bradley Smith is sole or co-author of eight of them, and as such his strong support of dingoes is pervasive throughout much of the book. Indeed, by the time I got to chapters 9Dingo intelligence: a dingo’s brain is sharper than its teeth and 10 The personality, behaviour and suitability of dingoes as companion animals, I was sensing a definite degree of peroration regarding the ‘superiority’ of dingoes to that of other members of the Canis genera. Whilst this may well be the case, I found that the repetitive nature and presentation of this theme ultimately detracted frommany of the informative and favourable aspects of the book. However, I highly commend the final chapter Forging a new future for the Australian dingo. By this stage I was unsure as to what to expect, though I am pleased to say that I found it to be resoundingly successful in its balanced perspective and realistic expectations of what can be achieved with regard to the conservation and status of the dingo in contemporary Australia. While there are preceding definitive works describing the natural history of the dingo in Australia (e.g. Breckwoldt 1988; Corbett 2001), this book is a timely addition to the dingo specific literature, providing a detailed and intimate glimpse into the inner workings of the dingo. Given the current debate over their ecological role and/or function in the Australian landscape, perhaps it has never been such an imperative to have a thorough understanding of the dingo ‘psyche’. As a comprehensive and well referenced source of information regarding dingoes, dingo behaviour, their biology, and cognitive prowess, you can’t go wrong with this book. However, The Dingo Debate is much less of a debate and more a detailed statement on the unique attributes and iconic values that dingoes possess. As such, Bradley Smith presents us with a fastidiously well researched and referenced text which leads the reader through a comprehensive reconstruction of what is known regarding dingoes and what sets them apart from other canids.