The dingo has been one the most debated wild animals in Australia. It shares many physical features with domestic dogs. One of the main reasons for the controversy it sparks is that it is not native to Australia. However, opinion is divided on when and how dingoes found their way onto the continent. In this regard, two theories have been advanced. The first is that the dingoes first landed on Australia following Aboriginal immigration onto the continent over 15,000 years ago. Recent archeological finds and history analyses have however increasingly shown that this first theory is unlikely to be true.
The second theory is that the dingo is closely related to a similar dog like breed that was found in South East Asia and that was brought by sea men to Australia as food or as a trade item. But irrespective of how dingoes landed in Australia, they were highly valued companions and guard dogs of Aboriginal peoples. They even slept among them to help keep the people warm during the cold winter nights.
The dingoes can be identified by their short haired coat, which is reddish ginger, yellow or brown in color. Black colored dingoes with white spots on their feet, tip of the tail or the snout can also be found in Australia but they are rare. A dingo is about the same size as an average dog but a little smaller than a full grown German Shepherd dog. It has rather bushier tail than a dog, strong claws, ears that are always erect and has a different walking gait from the typical dog. Unlike the domestic dog, the dingo does not bark but howls instead.
The dingoes are not naturally pack animals. They are usually seen hunting alone, in pairs or in small family units. However, during the drought, the dingoes may hunt in lager groups in a bid to bring down larger prey. Studies have also discovered that they have their own defined territory and it is only in very rare instances that members from different families share a territory. Groups, when they do exist, are usually controlled and led by a dominant male.
Dingoes are opportunistic carnivores who only hunt during the night when most prey would be vulnerable. Their menu comprises rabbits, small rodent, lizards, kangaroos and sheep. It is their penchant for sheep that has put them in conflict with humans through the years. Dingoes are spread throughout most of the mainland but they are more likely to be found near water sources because of their need to drink water at least once a day.
The dingo breeds once a year and the female can give birth to up to eight puppies. Once the puppies are born, both parents actively take part in raising them until they are seven months old. The life expectancy rate of a dingo is about 10 years.
Wild dingoes are not dangerous and do not attack unless provoked. If you have an interest in adopting a dingo after your immigration to Australia, this is allowed by law but not in all states. You must adopt them at a young age to allow the formation of a strong bond with humans.
Back to the Australian animals overview
References:
http://www.aussie-info.com/identity/fauna/dingo.php
http://www.australian-animals.net/dingo.htm
