Dingo
By Travis Bossio
Classification
Kingdom-----------Animilia
Phylum---------------Chordata
Class---------------------Mammilia
Order----------------------Carnivora
Scientific name:
Family-----------------------Canidea
Canis lupus dingo
Genus--------------------------Canis
Species---------------------------Canis lupus
Closest relative: The grey wolf and all other wolves
Female & Male Length: 15-25 inches
Male Weight: 42 to 48 pounds
Female Weight: 30 to 39 pounds
The color of the dingo is
pale cream, black, tan,
and ginger [ranging
from sandy yellow to red
ginger]. All color types
show lighter shades on
the throat, on the inside
leg, on the under belly
and under the tail.
Most dingoes in
Australia are
80% hybrid and
very few pure
breed dingoes.
The usual den
of the dingo is
a cave.
Live in deserts, grasslands,
woodland savannah,
wetland, alpine moorland,
and forest with packs around
10 dingoes.
The dingo is a
endangered
species and is
increasing slowly.
Scientist say its impossible
to tell how many dingoes
are in Australia accurately.
Breed during
March to April.
Breed at the age
of 2 to 3 years old.
Usually has up to
10 puppies.
Only the dominant
females breed. If other
non dominant females
breed successfully the
dominant females will
almost invariably kill the
pups.
Both parents take care
of the puppies in the
pack. The father
teaches the puppies to
hunt while the mother
takes care of them.
Dingoes leave the
den at 3 weeks old.
Leaves the pack at
the age of 3 months.
Dingoes in the wild live 10 to 14
years in the wild.
Dingoes can live 13 to 15 years in
captivity and 24 years on rare
occasions.
There is no difference in age for
male and female.
The dingoes behavior does not
change during different seasons.
The dingo does not
hibernate, migrate, or
undergo torpor.
Dingoes hunt rabbits, bandicoots, lizards,
small birds, geese, sheep, wallabies, and
kangaroos.
Dingoes
will eat
fruits,
grass, and
insects if
starving.
Can hunt in packs up to
10 other dingoes.
Predators:
•Crocodiles
•Alligators
•Humans
The crocodiles and
alligators don’t hurt the
species.
Humans pose a big threat to
dingoes because of the loss of
habitat to the dingo.
Dingoes can be pest when
killing livestock and the
owners have permission to
kill them.
Dingoes can be very good
pets for humans.
 When dingoes killed farmers sheep they built a fence
3,400 miles long. (Longer than the Great Wall of
China)
 A Dingo stole a woman’s baby at a camp site and ate it.
 When a dingo loses its mate it might mourn itself to
death
Works Cited
Alderton, David. Foxes, Wolves, and Wild Dogs of the World. New York:
Blandford, 1994. Print.
Australian Dingo Conservation Association Inc. Robert Sterry, 2011. Web.
24 Mar. 2013. <http://www.dingoconservation.org.au/>.
DesertUSA. Digital West Media, 1996. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.desertusa.com/animals/dingo.html>.
Hunter, Luke. Carnivores of the World. Illus. Priscilla Barrett. London: New
Holland, 2011. Print.
USA Today. USA Today, 2005. Web. 24 Mar. 2013.
<http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2003-10-07-dongosextinct_x.htm>.