A study in May 2023 has indicated that even though pure dingoes vary in appearance, results from over three and half thousand wild dog DNA samples from across Australia have shown that the percentage of hybrids in the wild is not as widespread as previously thought, according to Dr K. Cairns, a conservation biologist from UNSW Science.

While some dingoes have a dash of domestic dog in their genetics, as a population they are retaining their genetic identity. In the picture above, all these dingoes are mostly pure. More remote areas inland and to the west have higher levels of dingo purity, with 87% of wild dogs in the NT being pure. Research also found there are four dingo varieties.
Understanding which areas have pure dingoes, and which have hybrids, is important for conservation and understanding the ecology of wild dogs on Australia’s ecosystem.
The old testing methods relied on a smaller number of genetic markers and a limited reference population which over-estimated the amount of dog ancestry in dingo samples – sometimes by over 30%. This meant it often identified an animal as crossbred when it was a pure dingo. But with the new test we can look at 195,000 points across the genome compared to just 23 previously. So, it is a huge improvement in reliability and accuracy.
The term “wild dog”is widely used in policy; it includes the dingo, dingo-hybrid and feral domesticated dogs, all considered invasive species under biosecurity legislation and subject to eradication measures like aerial baiting, trapping and shooting. This includes national parks where native animals are supposedly protected. No other species is treated the same way as the dingo – when they should be protected! Environments without dingoes can become overrun by kangaroos, foxes and feral cats that threaten other native animals and can significantly change Australia’s fragile vegetation. Dingoes can be a threat to some livestock but they are not a pest, they play a crucial role as apex predators. There is a real need to find a balance in management and ensure we mainain local populations. Some farmers are using trained donkeys to protect livestock with success.
Pam Brandis
Dip. Canine Prac.