Introduction

Dingoes are the largest predator on the Australian continent. They have a very important place in the eco system of Australia.

Origin

Dingoes are native to Australia and evolved to be the dingoes we know and love over a long period of time.

Appearance

They are medium sized Canids (the group dogs, wolves and dingoes are in). They have extremely strong jaws and sharp claws.

Reproduction

Dingoes have a gestation period of around 61 to 69 days. They have litters of on average 4 to 6 pups. They mate in Autumn.

Diet

Dingoes eat Mammals, Reptiles, Birds, Amphibians, and Fish and are the apex predator in their eco-system. They eat: Snakes, Lizards, Birds of Prey, Turtles, Crocodiles, Sharks, Kangaroos, and Wallabies.

Lifespan

In the wild most Dingoes live around 7 to 8 years. Some have been recorded in the wild living up to 10 years. Typically in captivity, they will live for 14 to 16 years. One dingo has been recorded to live just under 20 years.

Types of Dingo

Alpine Dingoes

Alpine Dingoes are found in the Australian Alps, Victoria and New South Wales and are ginger in colour. They are furrier than other Dingoes because of their habitat.

Desert Dingoes

Desert Dingoes are found in most Australian Deserts and are beige to white in colour. They have short fur to cope with the heat of the desert.

Tropical Dingoes

Tropical Dingoes are found on some coastal areas and are darker than most other Dingoes in colour. They have medium length fur.

- Dingoes are not dogs. They are anatomically and behaviourally different, and are classed as a unique species called Canis Dingo.

- Dingoes do not bark like a dog but howl, chortle, yelp, whine, growl, chatter, snort, cough and purr.

- Dingoes have a broad diet including fresh meat, fish, eggs and carrion (dead animal).

- Dingoes lack body odour.

- Dingoes have no natural health issues and are immune to paralysis ticks.

- Dingoes have far more flexible limb and hip movement than dogs. They can rotate their wrists and their hips. These adaptions aid hunting and moving through burrows.

- Dingoes have much larger canine teeth than dogs.

- Males also participate in the teaching of the young.

- Dingoes can run 60km/hour, travel 40km a day, jump two metres high and successfully climb trees.

- Dingoes are driven by nature's survival instincts: hunting, reproduction, and protection of territory and family.

- Dingoes are only the males, Tingoes are the females.

- Dingoes are allowed without a permit in only New South Wales. Dingo owners are required to have a permit in Northern Territory, Western Australia, Victoria and the ACT. It is illegal to keep a Dingo in Tasmania, Queensland and South Australia.

I can see a lean, tan dingo, I can see it looking at me, staring at me, in wonder.

I can see its brown face with its small wet nose, its round, big eyes and its erect ears, listening.

I can smell the arid, dusty scent of the desert as it rushes toward me, carried by the warm wind.

I can feel the gritty sand whipped up by the strengthening wind, hitting both me and the dingo.

I can taste the dry taste of thirst as I trudge on toward the majestic dingo.

I spotted another dingo - the mother. She gathers her pup, and with one final, lingering howl, they vanish into the distance.

Dingoes deserve our protection, and it is important that more people understand why. Every year, around 5,000 Dingoes are killed, mainly because they are seen as a threat to livestock by farmers and workers. They are often baited, poisoned, or shot, which is a huge problem.

What people do not always realise is that Dingoes actually play a crucial role in protecting livestock by controlling the population of feral animals like cats, foxes, and rabbits. These invasive species can do more damage to farms and the environment than Dingoes ever could. By keeping these pests in check, Dingoes help maintain a healthy ecosystem.

Unfortunately, many farmers see Dingoes as pests themselves, which is an unfair and shortsighted view. Dingoes are part of the Australian natural heritage and have been living here for thousands of years. They are not a nuisance; they are an essential part of the Australian biodiversity.

Dingoes are unique because they are one of the oldest and most distinctive wild dogs in the world, having lived in Australia for thousands of years. Unlike domestic dogs, Dingoes have a more independent nature and a higher level of intelligence, allowing them to survive in some of the harshest environments on the planet.