Dingo

Dingo - Scientific name: Canis lupus dingo
The dingo is Australia's wild dog. As the largest native carnivorous mammal in the country, it is a magnificent animal in its natural habitat and plays a vital role in maintaining the balance within ecosystems.

Its origin is uncertain, though scientists now believe that it is related to Asian and Middle Eastern wolves that probably arrived in Australia between 3,500 and 4,000 years ago, transported by Asian seafarers. The scientific name of the dingo was recently changed from canis familiaris (domestic dog) dingo to canis lupus (wolf) dingo, to show its relationship to the white-footed wolf of South-East Asia. Whereas barking is typical of domestic dogs, dingoes generally communicate over long distances with howls - like other wild dogs and wolves.

In NSW most of the remaining dingo populations are found to the east of the state, in forests between the Great Dividing Range and the coast.   This is is probably due to land clearing (which reduced the range of the species dingoes prey upon) and dingo control efforts by the pastoral industry.

 
Dingoes are more active at night, sunrise and sunset than in the middle of the day. They eat a wide variety of animals, but the majority of their diet are kangaroos and wallabies. In eastern NSW, the swamp wallaby is a particularly important prey species. A dingoes diet also includes: rabbits, possums, gliders, rats and marsupial mice. Approximately one to seven per cent of their kill is domestic animals.

Dingoes are social animals, living in family groups which defend their territory and sometimes hunt together. They have a home range of up to 8000 hectares, but only use a small part of that range at any one time.  They spend a few days in one place and then move to another, gradually traveling around their whole range.

Dingoes mate only once every year, usually between March and June. Pups are born after a 63-day pregnancy. Litter sizes range from four to six and pups are weaned at about two months of age. Pups may be abandoned after a few months, or may stay with the parents for up to a year before moving on.   Male dingoes reach sexual maturity approximately one year old. Most females are capable of breeding at the same age.

VALE: ZAC and ZOE

Back in early 2004, when a number of animals came to Wirrimbirra from Australia’s Wonderland when it closed down, two beautiful pure-breed Alpine dingoes, Zac and Zoe, were among the new arrivals.    
 
Zac and Zoe had been together at Wonderland since they were 6-week-old puppies, and were both approximately 8½ years old when they arrived at Wirrimbirra. Zac was completely blind when he left Wonderland, confirmed by electro-retinogram about 2 years earlier, and most likely the result of a genetic condition, progressive retinal atrophy. He had also been on a low-fat diet for pancreatitis. *
 
Zac and Zoe settled in well at Wirrimbirra.  Zac’s lack of sight didn’t stop him being the boss of the enclosure, but Zoe became his “eyes”, leading him around their new home until he eventually learnt where everything was.
 
Whilst at Wirrimbirra, Zac developed diabetes mellitus, a common long-term complication of pancreatitis.  For the next couple of years, Zac’s health was up and down, and, whilst he was generally well and happy, his condition gradually deteriorated, particularly over the last 12 months.  Wirrimbirra’s dingo exhibit was closed to the public in late 2007 because of Zac’s health problems, and the Christmas period saw a marked deterioration of his condition.  Zac passed away peacefully on 19th January.  
 
In early November 2008 Zoe did not come out of her kennel for breakfast.  She was fine at dinner time the evening before, but had passed away sometime during the night.  The autopsy report suggested she died of a twisted intestine, something that is not common in dingoes but not unknown either.

They were much-loved resident of Wirrimbirra, and are greatly missed.  Both Zac and Zoe were taken to "Pets at Peace" and have been cremated.  Their ashes will remain at Wirrimbirra.

 
* Information on Zac prior to coming to Wirrimbirra obtained from former Wonderland vet, Michael Cannon.

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