The Dingo is the largest mammal predator in Australia and was introduced some 3-5000 years ago from Southeast Asia, where it is still common (all subsequent information refers only to Australian Dingoes). They are thought to have spread rapidly across the continent of Australia, probably with human help, and are thought at least partially responsible for the extinction of the marsupial thylacine and devil from the mainland. This was probably due to the dingoes' superior hunting ability, especially in times of drought, when they will hunt in packs. It is starting to be recognised that dingoes play a key role in the protection of Australian wildlife.
Dingoes are an opportunistic carnivores (meat eating) predator hunting mainly at night. They prefer mammals but this diet can be supplemented by reptiles insects etc. The size of their prey ranges from small rodents, rabbits lizards through to sheep and kangaroos. dingoes usually hunt alone or in pairs but when small game is scarce and larger prey must be tackled, cooperative hunting takes place.Dingoes readily breed with domestic/feral dogs and as a result the number of purebred animals is rapidly diminishing. It is thought that this process cannot be halted as long as baiting of dingoes continues (dingoes with stable pack structures probably will not tollerate feral dogs) and as such the extinction of the purebred dingo is thought likely.
Dingo
Dingo
Dingo
Dingo
Dingo
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