Dingo, << DIHNG goh, >> is a wild dog of Australia. It ranks as the largest hunting mammal on that continent. Aboriginal peoples, Australia’s first human inhabitants, brought dingoes to the continent thousands of years ago. Dingoes closely resemble certain medium-sized domestic dogs, but they also share characteristics with wolves. For example, they howl like wolves and rarely bark.
Dingo howling
Dingoes grow about 24 inches (60 centimeters) tall at the shoulder and weigh from 20 to 45 pounds (9 to 20 kilograms). The dogs usually have a golden-colored coat with white fur on the feet and the tip of the tail. But a dingo’s color can range from yellowish-white to black.
Each year, female dingoes give birth in a cave or hollow log to four or five young. The pups may live with their parents and help raise the next litter. Dingoes sometimes mate with domestic dogs.
Dingoes commonly search for food at night. They feed on rotting meat and on such mammals as rabbits and wallabies. In times of drought, dingoes may also kill and eat calves, sheep, and other farm animals. As a result, some farmers offer rewards to hunters who trap or kill dingoes. But the dogs also benefit farmers by killing such pests as rabbits and wild pigs.
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