The plight of the Australian dingo parallels the near extinction of the northern hemisphere Gray wolf and the Ethiopian wolf.
The dingo in Australia has existed without disruption for thousands of years.
Since European settlement (1788) on this continent, the dingo population has been severely threatened by swamping the gene pool with domestic dogs and the widespread eradication regimes such as baiting, shooting, trapping and habitat loss which are continuing to be conducted across the landscape.
A major threatening process towards the dingo revolves around cross-breeding with domestic dogs. This represents a highly significant threat to the long term persistence of dingoes. Hybrids exist in all wild canid populations worldwide (including Fraser Island; Woodall et al.1996) 1 and the proportion of hybrids is increasing.
Latest research on wild dingo populations in some areas has resulted in finding only scattered individual pure dingoes remaining in hybridized packs. Entire pure colonies of animals are non-existent or extremely rare.(A.Wilton et al)5 90% of wild dogs today are not pure dingoes. They are cross-bred with domestic dogs. "The insidiousness of transmission of dog genes in a dingo population is comparing it to a computer virus or a drop of ink in a bucket of water, eventually all the water turns blue." (extracts from a letter by Dr. D. Jenkins)
DNA testing on upwards of 3000 samples shows that the percentage of pure animals is critically low.
Once the population of a species falls below 500 individuals it is deemed to be endangered.
The enormous population of domestic dogs worldwide has pushed all wild canid populations to the margins of existence. Man is blissfully unaware or ignorant of the profound impact domestic dogs are having on the world ecology and how it is disrupting the natural processes and balance which is so essential for a healthy environment.
Domestic dogs are not trophic regulators as top order predators are (eg. Wolf, dingo etc.) by removing these specialized canids and allowing hybrids to exist allows for destruction rather than regulation.
The absence of top order predators world wide is causing great concern among conservation scientists and efforts are being made to restore populations and to re-introduce these animals as essential for restoration of ecological regions.
In many regions of Australia, the absence of our top order predator, the dingo, has greatly influenced the huge increases in feral animal populations, including feral dogs, cats, pigs, goats, foxes, rabbits, camels and donkeys.
These feral animals exploit the fragile Australian ecosystem to the serious detriment of our native fauna and flora. This combined with the absence of our top order predator, large scale land clearing and seriously degraded landscapes from farming activities is heading our country towards an ecology which will not be sustainable.
Dingoes do predate on feral animals, but they are absent in many areas where they could have an effect. They are absent in areas where there has been huge increases in macropod populations due to lack of predation.
Strong anecdotal evidence is emerging that dingoes existing in stable packs actually suppress foxes and cats in the environment. (Dickman, Glen 2005, A.O'Neill 2002) 2
Stable packs will seriously defend their resources and protect their territories from introgression by feral or domestic dogs.
An adolescent male dingo
A related threat to dingoes in Australia concerns actions and legislation allowing legal ownership of dingoes by members of the public, because most are based on known hybrids or untested dingo stock, thus effectively increasing the hybridization process. (Corbett 2001) 3.
The increasing interest of private individuals and groups in keeping dingoes as pets also poses a threat via human selection of form and behaviour. This will alter the psyche and behaviour of the dingo.
The well documented demise of the dingo has also led to the increase in smuggling of dingoes overseas and illegal cross-border trading in Australia.
Irresponsible dog ownership and dumping of unmanageable dogs into the bush has also led to the high incidence of feral dogs and hybrids and the increase of predation on livestock.
The Australian community could be forgiven for thinking there are many thousands of dingoes on the landscape because of the large baiting programs that are conducted across the country every year and the frequent media reports to that effect.
All research on the dingo carried out over the last 60 years has been directed towards controlling dingoes to aid the Agricultural industry. No research has been directed towards conserving it. The dingo's significantly important role as a trophic regulator has not been considered, until very recently.
The Dingo is now listed on the International Union for Conservation Nature and Natural Resources Red List as Vulnerable (2004).
Australia is now ranked the 4th highest in the world for the extinction of native species.
IS THE DINGO FACING EXTINCTION?
MARK TWAIN wrote this about the Australian Dingo when he visited Australia.....
"I also saw the wild Australian dog - the dingo. He was a beautiful creature, shapely, graceful, a little wolfish in some of his aspects, but with a most friendly eye and sociable disposition.
The dingo is not an importation he was present in great force when the whites first came to the continent. It may be that he is the oldest dog in the universe, his origin, his descent, the place where his ancestors first appeared are as unknown and as untraceable as the camel. He is the most precious dog in the world for he does not bark, but in an evil hour he got to raiding sheep runs to appease his hunger and that seals his doom, he is hunted now just as if he were a wolf, he has been sentenced to extermination and the sentence will be carried out....." Reference: Twain Mark. Maloney, E. W. (ed) The Literary Dog. Berkeley Windoner Books. New York 1978
The wide impact of 1080 baiting programs and the presence of domestic dogs are the greatest threat to the survival of the dingo. DNA research has demonstrated that the female dingo will seek a feral dog mate in the absence of her own kind. Baiting in dingo wild habitat causes pack disruption and dispersal of stable dingo packs.
To protect and save the dingo from extinction the situation for the dingo must be reversed.
The dingo must be recognised as Australia's top order predator.
Australians must change the status of the dingo from pest to Native Fauna
Core habitat areas must be protected, and the gene pool must be conserved for the survival of the dingo.
1080 baiting programs on dingoes must cease.
Australians must stop the contact between domestic dogs and dingoes in all regions of Australia.
To help us Save the Dingo
Become a member of the ADCA
Make a donation to assist with our work
Write or talk to our politicians about the critical state of our Native Dog.
Click the picture to hear the dingo's howl.