Why is it important to protect dingoes?

Is anything more Australian than the dingo? Our national canine just about sums up what it means to be Aussie – companionable (at least with its dingo mates!) and deeply connected to this beautiful land.  

Their importance runs deeper than just being a famous face in Aussie wildlife, though. Dingoes are an integral part of Australia’s ecosystems, First Nations cultures and even tourism. It’s fair to say that dingoes are a big part of what makes Australia special. 

Unfortunately, like so many of Australia’s native animals, there are many problems and threats facing dingoes. From habitat destruction to run-ins with humans, there are plenty of issues facing our dingo populations.  

So, why is it so important to protect dingoes from these threats? Deakin University’s Euan Ritchie explains. 

What are dingoes, exactly? 

Before we talk about why it’s important to protect dingoes, let’s get a bit of background on our nation’s only native canine.  

Did you know there’s actually a bit of confusion about how to define dingoes? Turns out that not everyone can agree on whether dingoes are their own species or just a very old branch or crossbreed of domestic dogs.  

Ritchie calls it an ‘identity crisis’ and, as a result, dingoes don’t always get the respect they deserve.  

‘Some people don’t recognise them as a species, nor native, and they’re often referred to as “wild dogs,” Ritchie says. ‘Research shows that the commonly held view that many dingoes are dingo-dog hybrids (‘wild dogs’) is simply not true.’  

So, what are dingoes, then? Ritchie says that, despite the contrarian rhetoric, dingoes are ‘dogs’ in a broad sense, as members of the ‘canid group’, and are variously related to species like wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals and domestic dogs. 

‘Dingoes are most closely related to the New Guinea singing dog, and they form a distinct evolutionary lineage that is separate from modern domestic dogs,’ he says. 

Where are dingoes in Australia? 

When it comes to habitats, just about anything goes with dingoes!  

While Ritchie says we don’t even know how many dingoes live in Australia (some estimates put the total anywhere from 10,000 – 50,000), they’re found across most of Australia. 

‘Dingoes have never occurred in Tasmania, but on the mainland their distribution and abundance is now patchy and highly variable,’ he says. ‘Dingoes are highly adaptable, occurring in diverse habitats such as deserts, tropical and temperate forests, savannas and alpine areas.’ 

There’s one big problem with dingo distribution, though – not everyone is happy with them roaming freely.  

While many of us think it’s important to protect dingoes, in some parts of Australia, humans are trying their best to keep dingoes out of some spots. Unfortunately, this means dingoes can’t always go where they once lived. 

‘The dingo barrier fence, more than 5500km long, and other barrier fences, as well as ongoing persecution, mean dingoes are entirely absent from some areas where they were once common,’ Ritchie says. 

Are dingoes endangered in Australia? 

The good news is that dingoes aren’t endangered in Australia. We probably shouldn’t celebrate just yet though. 

Ritchie says that, particularly in Victoria, population numbers and genetic diversity aren’t looking great, making it especially important to protect dingoes that appear in this region. 

‘In Victoria, the dingo is listed as a protected threatened species that is assessed as vulnerable to extinction, with most concern for the northwest Mallee population where fewer than 100 individuals are thought to exist,’ he says. ‘Outside Victoria dingoes are faring relatively better in some cases but in others they’ve been completely wiped out.’ 

What problems or threats are dingoes facing? 

Even though they’re not necessarily endangered, it’s still important to protect dingoes because their numbers are definitely under threat.  

The threats, according to Ritchie, are coming from all angles. ‘Dingoes face numerous threats, the greatest being that they are often misunderstood, mistreated and victims of misinformation,’ he says.  

For instance, prejudice against dingoes occurs when it comes to the threat they pose to farm animals (although, in general, dingoes aren’t aggressive to humans). As a result, they’re sometimes poison baited and shot. ‘Dingoes do kill livestock, but often not in the numbers claimed and the data supporting such claims is often highly uncertain,’ says Ritchie.  

Another problem that faces dingoes is that human and dingo habitats starting to overlap.  

‘Dingoes have suffered extensive habitat destruction due to agriculture and housing development,’ Ritchie says.  

How many dingoes are killed each year? 

For some people (particularly farmers), dingoes can be considered a pest or a threat to their livestock and livelihood.  

Because dingo poison baiting, shooting or trapping is legal in some parts of Australia – and some jurisdictions actually make it a legal obligation to control dingo populations – we know that dingoes are being killed each year by humans. 

It’s fair to say that, for those who believe in the importance of protecting dingoes, any number of killings is too many. And, individual dingoes are more than mere numbers, having complex social relationships and behaviours that are vital for their survival. 

Regardless, just as we’re not sure how many there are across Australia, there’s no true figure of how many dingoes are killed each year. There are some regional stats for official killings, though – such as the 468 killed in eastern Victoria in 2023.  

Why are dingoes important? 

Dingoes aren’t just a great symbol of Australia – they play some really important roles in the environment and Indigenous culture.  

‘Dingoes are also culturally significant for many First Nations peoples, regarded as kin by some people,’ says Ritchie. ‘Research from across mainland Australia also shows that dingoes can help to keep ecosystems healthy by regulating the numbers and activity of feral goats, feral pigs, kangaroos, wallabies and emus, feral cats, foxes and other species. This in turn flows through to affect other plants and animals within ecosystems.’ 

It should come as no surprise, but it’s also important to protect dingoes from a tourism perspective.  

‘Many international travellers arrive eager to see dingoes in the wild, such as on K’gari,’ says Ritchie. 

Obviously, they’re important animals. So what can be done to help protect dingoes? 

What can be done to help protect dingoes? 

Ritchie emphasises that it’s important to protect our dingo populations regardless of how they benefit we humans and the environment around us.  

‘Dingoes have been in Australia for more than 3000 years, but possibly much longer, and certainly long before European colonisation,’ he says. ‘They have a right to exist regardless of human concerns.’ 

So, what can we do to help dingoes survive and thrive? Ritchie says we need to follow the lead of First Nations peoples and come to decisions respectfully and inclusively. Beyond that, there are plenty of practical reasons why dingoes should be protected for generations to come.  

‘We need to stop killing dingoes, stop using extensive fencing to exclude them from large areas, protect them on public and private lands, and support graziers with evidence-based approaches and tools that allow dingoes and livestock production to coexist and minimise conflict, including the use of guardian animals,’ Ritchie says.