Overview of Wild Dog of Australia
Dogs are lovable pets, don't you think so? We all desire to have one when we are young. Whether our parents allowed it or not is another matter. Nonetheless, dogs are domestic bread and live amongst humans. They have been living in human settlements since the millenniums. However, there is one breed of wild dog in Australia which doesn't exhibit this social behaviour, unlike dogs everywhere. These dogs are feral and are considered a menace. If you are curious about why it is, read on to know more.
Dingo Dog
Wild Dogs of Australia – Dingo
The name of the wild Dog of Australia is Dingo. Dingos are pure breeding, feral or escaped domestic dogs, and hybrids of these two types of dogs. These all are collectively referred to as wild dogs of Australia. Canis familiaris is the scientific name for the species that includes both dingoes and wild domestic dogs.
Dingo Dogs considered Feral
These wild dogs have a negative impact on the grazing industry. They are feral in nature and kill small livestock. Hence they are a menace and treated as one.
Interesting Facts About Wild Dogs of Australia
Let’s learn some interesting facts about wild dogs in Australia
1. Dingos are Neither Dogs Nor Wolves
Dingos are not technically considered to be a breed of dogs. They have only been partially tamed. Therefore, their wolf and dog traits are equally pronounced. These Dingos are somewhere in between.
It is not known for certain whether or not the Canis lupus dingo was ever completely tamed. There is evidence to imply that they were originally kept as pets but were later abandoned and allowed to return to their natural state as wild animals.
2. Dingos are Considered a Pest
Dingos are the largest Pest in Australia. They kill cats, rabbits, kangaroos, and many other animals. They exhibit the behaviour of both dogs and wolves, so they fend for themselves, hunt in packs sometimes, and are hence labelled as a pest in Australia.
3. Some People Keep Them as Pets
Even though these wild dogs of Australia are dangerous because of their similarity to wolves, some people still keep them as pets. But these dogs are very emotional in nature. So, keeping them as pets is a costly affair. You have to invest a lot of time in them. They don't like to be left alone if they are domesticated. They have to be patted and shown care.
4. It's Illegal to Keep Dingos as Pets in Some Areas
It is not necessary to have permission in order to own a dingo in certain parts of Australia, such as New South Wales and Western Australia. Owning a wild dog in Victoria and the Northern Territory requires a specialised permit. However, in Tasmania, Queensland, and South Australia, it is against the law to do so altogether.
5. They Can Rotate Their Heads 180 Degrees
Just like Owls, these dogs can swivel their heads 180 degrees just like owls because of a highly flexible bone structure. In contrast, humans can swivel their heads to a max of 70 degrees!
6. They Can Open Doors With Their Hands
Just like us, the Dingo has spinning wrists. This enables them to catch prey by using their paws in the same manner as their hands. Additionally, it improves their ability to climb trees and even unlock doors. Due to the fact that their wrists are more flexible than those of other dogs, they are able to climb and penetrate places that other dogs are unable to. This makes them an extremely difficult pest for farmers attempting to keep them away from their cattle.
Summary
Today we learned about the wild dog of Australia named Dingo. These dogs are very different from ordinary dogs. They have a wolfish nature. They have a very flexible bone structure. They can easily kill various small animals and are considered pests in Australia, just like we consider rats pests. These dogs can easily open doors with their wrists and have good night vision. What do you think about this type of Dog, do let us know in the comments. We hope you enjoyed reading this article.
FAQs on Wild Dog of Australia
1. Are there several types of wild dogs in Australia?
The several types of wild dogs in Australia are clubbed into one specie called Canis familiaris dingo. However, their appearance is different in different parts of Australia. It's possible that the many climates found across Australia led to the evolution of several dingo subspecies, which can now be seen living in various locations around the continent.
Dingoes that live in desert environments can have a rusty, golden yellow or sand colouration and a small body size.
Dingoes living in mountainous regions have a pale cream colouration on their bodies and are rare.
Northern dingoes are smaller in stature and do not have a double coat like the other two varieties of dingoes have.
2. What are Dingos scared of?
Generally, Dingos are a shy type of animal. They prefer the nighttime to go out for a hunt. They avoid humans most of the time. Australian farmers keep 'Dingo Donkeys.' These are donkeys will strong hoofs. The Dingo is scared of the hoof of these big beasts. So, yes, we can say Dingos are scared of big donkeys. They are also scared of feral water buffalos and castles. They also try to avoid snakes, which are abundant in Australia. Wedge-tailed eagles also are a predator of these wild dogs.
3. What is the favourite food taste of the wild dog of Australia?
The majority of the diet of wild dogs of Australia consists of meat. They hunt kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, and feral pigs. Other small mammals like rabbits and rodents are also included in their favourite food. They also consume birds and reptiles. Not only these but Dingoes are also reported to attack water buffalo in the Northern Territory, in addition to the fish that makes up a significant portion of their diet in the Frazer Islands.
