What is the largest land predator in Australia?
The Australian dingo is the largest land predator in Australia. They are an ancient breed of wild dog and are thought to have originated in Asia, migrating to Australia with humans thousands of years ago.
The dingo has a reddish-brown coat, bushy black tail, pointed ears, and a lean body with a long muzzle. The dingo may be similar in appearance to the domestic dog but it differs in many ways. Dingoes are generally shy and will only approach humans when hungry or seeking food.
Dingoes do not bark like dogs but are they wild-dogs?
They do not bark regularly like dogs but make a number of different sounds including a high-pitched whine, a growl when threatened and a howl when looking for another dingo or when they hear one in the distance.
Dingoes are known for their distinctive golden coat, but some can have a red or dark coloured coat. The females are generally smaller than the males, weighing around 15kg, while the males weigh closer to 20kg.
Although dingoes are commonly referred to as Australian wild dogs, they are not dogs nor do they come from Australia. The word “dingo” comes from the language of the Aboriginal people who have lived in Australia for more than 40,000 years.
Where is dingo found?
Dingoes are now found throughout Australia except in Tasmania. Dingoes live in a variety of habitats from arid desert plains to rainforests.
What do dingoes eat?
They are carnivores (meat eaters) and hunt at night. Their diet consists of small mammals such as rabbits, wallabies and kangaroos but they will also eat reptiles, insects, birds and fish. Dingoes are also known to raid rubbish bins for scraps of food near townships where they can become pests.
Dingos can be found all over Australia, but they prefer more arid inland habitats as well as coastal sand dunes and grasslands. They hunt at dawn and dusk. The dingo’s habitat is diverse, ranging from forests to grasslands, but dingoes prefer areas near a water source.
The Dingo plays an important role in the ecosystem and helps keep other animal populations under control. Dingoes are known to be great hunters, with the ability to hunt in packs and individually.
Dog vs Dingo – differences between Dingo and Dog
Dingoes are about as long and tall as a medium-sized dog but have longer legs, bigger paws and sharper teeth. Dingo looks more like a wolf when compared to domestic dogs.
Dingoes came to Australia more than 4000 years ago while Dogs came to Australia in the late 18th century.
The dingo is the largest terrestrial predator in Australia. Dingoes are protected in many parts of their range, but are regarded as pests and where they attack livestock.
The dingo is similar in appearance to a medium-size domestic dog. It has a muzzle that is moderately long and pointed, erect ears, and brown eyes.
How often do dingoes breed?
In Australia dingoes breed once a year. Gestation period is around 60 days usually with litters of three to five being born.
