Australia's Wild Dog

GENERAL

The Dingo is found in Australia (except Tasmania). It is a wild form of the domestic dog, and thus is a mammal. Dingos are not by nature a pack dog, but rather live and hunt alone or in pairs or as a small family group.(though it has been seen that some groups on occasions have "assisted" another group in a hunt) Dingoes appear to have clearly defined home territory, though parts of this territory may be shared with other dingos.
 
 

                                                                HISTORY

The Dingo is not truly native to Australia and there are 2 common theories to its
arrival to our shores
-1) dingoes were brought to Australia at least 15,000 years ago by Aboriginal
people, (evidence is now suggesting the Aborigine and the Dingo arrived at different
times)
-2) The Dingo may have been related to the semi wild dogs found throughout South
East Asia, and brought to Australia by sea farers who used them for trade and/or
eating.

                                 DESCRIPTION

Its short-haired coat
                color wise, ranges
                            from reddish ginger,
                                  rust, yellow to browns
                                         and (rarely) to black
                                              with white points on
                                                    the feet, snout and the
                                                            tip of the tail The dingo
                                                                   (the size of a medium
                                                                              dog) has a fairly bushy tail, strong claws a very angular alert
          looking head with
                   erect ears. This canine does not bark (though it does howl)

HABITAT

The Dingo can be found in almost any part of the Australian mainland which
provides access to drinking water, (as it needs to drink once a day). Because of this
need for water the dingo prefers the edge of forests which butt on to grasslands, but
are forced inland to more semi-arid areas (mainly by man)

                                 FEEDING & HUNTING

Dingos are an opportunistic carnivores (meat eating) predator hunting mainly at night. They prefer mammals but this diet can supplemented by reptiles insects etc. The size of their prey ranges from small rodents, rabbits lizards through to sheep and kangaroos. Dingos usually hunt alone
or in pairs but when small game is scarce and larger prey must be tackled, cooperative hunting takes place.