15 - Reimagining the Dingo: The ‘Australian Wolf ’ or Just a Feral Dog?

Summary

THE DINGO: IDENTITY, ORIGIN AND CONTROVERSY

The continent of Australia is home to the dingo (Canis dingo Meyer, 1793), a free-ranging member of the genus Canis. Affectionately known as the ‘king of the Australian bush’, the dingo is the largest extant mammalian predator (other than humans) in Australia. Yet, at an average of 16kg (range 10–25kg) and standing approximately 55cm to the shoulder, they are relatively small for an apex predator. The quintessential dingo is lean with short fur, has erect ears atop a broad head, fluffy tail and is often yellow or ginger in colour with white points on its toes, feet and tail (Smith 2015). However, coat colours and white patches of pure dingoes vary considerably, including sandy white/cream, black and tan, and everything in between (Fig 15.1; Cairns et al 2021a). The dingo is a highly adaptable and resilient predator. It is: present across the entire mainland and occupies all habitat types of Australia; lives in strict social hierarchies and exhibits complex communication; is highly territorial, with a home range that varies greatly depending on the region; and is a generalist and opportunistic hunter that kills and eats a variety of prey, including species much larger than itself (eg kangaroos, Macropus spp.). Due to the threat it may pose to livestock (Fleming et al 2001), the dingo is considered a pest species across much of its range and remains unprotected in many regions and jurisdictions of Australia. Historical and ongoing persecution by humans, primarily in urban and agricultural areas, remains the dingo's biggest threat, and is likely a leading cause of hybridisation events with domestic dogs (Cairns et al 2021b).

The dingo is a naturalised Australian species. The oldest archeological dingo remains have been carbon-dated to be between 3000 and 3500 years old (Balme et al 2018), setting this as a minimum time the species has been present in Australia. Molecular dating efforts indicate that the dingo has been genetically distinct from both dogs and wolves for at least 8000–11,000 years (Cairns and Wilton 2016; Bergstrom et al 2020; Zhang et al 2020). This timing firmly places dingoes as having evolved pre-agriculture and prior to the diversification of other dogs into domestic breeds via intensive artificial selection.