Dingo

## Description

The dingo (Canis familiaris, Canis familiaris dingo, Canis dingo, or Canis lupus dingo) is an ancient (basal) lineage of dog found in Australia. It is variously considered a form of domestic dog not warranting recognition as a subspecies, a subspecies of dog or wolf, or a full species in its own right. The dingo is a medium-sized canine that possesses a lean, hardy body adapted for speed, agility, and stamina. It is closely related to the New Guinea singing dog or the New Guinea Highland wild dog: their lineage split early from the lineage that led to today's domestic dogs and can be traced back through the Malay Archipelago to Asia. The dingo is recognized as a native animal under the laws of all Australian jurisdictions and plays a prominent role in the Dreamtime stories of indigenous Australians.

## Appearance

Dingoes usually range from sandy-yellow to red ginger in color, though some individuals can be white, black, or black-tan. They have brown, almond-shaped eyes. In addition, these dogs can be identified by white markings on their chest, feet, and tips of the tail. Dingoes also have pricked ears, which help them to hear well.

## Distribution

Dingoes are found in most of Australia, but they are absent in the southeast and Tasmania. They live in a wide variety of habitats including the temperate regions of eastern Australia, the alpine moorlands of the eastern highlands, the arid hot deserts of Central Australia, and the tropical forests and wetlands of Northern Australia.

## Behavior

Generally, dingoes are sociable animals, gathering in packs to mate and socialize. However, some individuals prefer living a solitary life. Dingo packs normally contain 3-12 animals, including dominant males and females, that are determined through fierce stand-offs. When gathering, these animals howl, scent marks, and come into conflict with each other. They are most active at sunrise and sunset when their prey is also active. These dogs are very territorial animals. They choose the territory not according to the size of their pack but depending on characteristics of the environment such as prey availability or terrain texture. They don't tend to bark, but they are known to howl, especially at night, attracting their pack members or scaring away intruders.

## Diet

They are carnivorous animals, consuming a wide variety of food from water buffalo to insects. Dingoes are opportunistic feeders, hunting different species from mice to wallabies and kangaroos, from rats to rabbits, geese, and lizards. They can also scavenge the carcasses of dead animals. In addition, dingoes feed upon plants and fruit.

## Reproduction

Dingoes are monogamous, mating for life. The dominant pair of the pack breeds in the group, where other members of the pack help them in bringing up their pups. The mating season of Australian dingoes lasts from March to April whereas in southeastern Asia they mate in August-September. The period of gestation lasts about 63 days, yielding 4-5 babies on average. The female gives birth in a den. After 3 weeks, the pups start venturing out of the den. At the age of 8 weeks, the young are fully weaned. By this time, they leave the den and start living with the pack. Then, between 3 and 4 months old, the pups begin to accompany adults during the hunt. And finally, at 3 years old, dingoes mate, staying together throughout their lives.

## Population

### Population threats

One of the major threats to the dingo population is human persecution: in agricultural lands and pastures, these animals are frequently poisoned, trapped, and shot. Another serious threat is interbreeding between the dingo and the domestic dog. The urban development throughout coastal and outback areas of Australia promotes contact between these two, leading to the dilution and potential extinction of their gene pool. These animals are sold in food markets in some Asian countries, where their meat is an important source of protein for indigenous people. Also, in Indonesia and the Pacific islands, the canine of the dingo is used as decoration.

### Population number

Presently, the dingo is not included in the IUCN Red List and its conservation status has not been evaluated.

### Ecological niche

This dog is the primary mammalian carnivore of Australia. Dingoes control populations of prey species such as the European rabbit, which is a pest throughout Australia. Dingoes compete with foxes and feral cats when preying on small animals. However, when hunting large species during times of drought, they are more successful than foxes or feral cats. Due to this, their population is high, though they are responsible for the loss of many medium-sized Australian mammal species such as rat-kangaroos, bandicoots, and macropodids.

## Fun Facts

Wrists of dingoes are very flexible and able to rotate. Due to this ability, the paws act like hands, allowing the animal to even turn a door handle. Along with the wrists, the head of the dingo is extremely agile, turning 180 degrees in each direction.

According to research, conducted at Sydney's University of New South Wales, the dingo is likely to be the oldest breed of dog in the world.

They usually hunt at night, able to travel up to 37 miles per night in search of food.

The habit of hiding remains of their food under the ground makes dingoes quite similar to dogs.

Tamed dingoes served the early Aboriginals as living bottles with hot water, keeping them warm at night.

There's a recorded case of a female dingo, moving 6 pups one by one over 9 km distance in a single night, thus making a journey of 180 km in just one night.