Meet the Animal Park's Dingoes

NATIVE RANGE

Originally from Indonesia, dingoes were introduced to Australia likely at least 4,000 years ago. Today their range is in Australia and Southeast Asia.

DIET

They are opportunistic hunters of small prey like rabbits, rodents, birds, and lizards. In pairs or family groups, they will hunt large prey such as kangaroos or wallabies.

BEHAVIOR

Dingoes are most active at dawn and dusk when their prey is also active. They generally live in packs, though some are solitary.

FASCINATING FACTS

• Dingoes have been villainized in Australia since European settlers first arrived with livestock. From 1836 until recently, there was a bounty system in place throughout the mainland. The world’s longest fence, now nearly 3,500 miles long, was constructed beginning in the 1880s to keep dingoes out of southeastern Australia. In most of that area, this persecution, combined with habitat loss, has led to the elimination of the dingo. But as they play an important role as the country’s apex predator, efforts are underway in some places to allow them to once again fulfill this ecological role—some scientists predict that this could help restore balance.
• Dingoes howl and whimper much more than they bark. They make 19 different sounds, and only around 5 percent of their vocalizations are barks.
• The dingo is a much closer cousin to the original wolf that roamed Eurasia about a million years ago than to the modern domestic dog.