For decades, outdated research has supported the myth that Australia’s native canids were virtually extinct, and that most of Australia’s wild dogs were genetic hybrids of dingoes and domestic dogs.
However, new research using more advanced—and more reliable—methods of DNA testing has proven just the opposite, completely shattering the long-held belief that crossbreeding posed the greatest threat to dingo conservation.
In fact, the outcomes of these tests show that purebred dingoes aren’t a rarity at all.
These misconceptions have impacted policy and legislation surrounding the species for years, with most legal terminology now using the term “wild dog” to refer to feral dogs, dingoes and their hybrids.
The research published in Molecular Ecology found five distinct dingo populations across Australia, but limited evidence of hybrids within these populations.
“Our work challenges previous reports regarding the occurrence and extent of dog admixture in dingoes, as our ancestry analyses show that previous assessments severely overestimate the degree of domestic dog admixture in dingo populations, particularly in south-eastern Australia,” reads the paper’s abstract.
The study tested 307 wild animals, and found that most of them were, in fact, pure dingoes.
“Only a small proportion of wild dingoes had dog ancestry, probably from a great- or great-great-grandparent. There were no “first-cross” (50/50) hybrids or feral dogs in our wild-caught sample.”
The researchers behind the study called for the official name for dingoes to be restored.
The term “wild dog” and the belief of widespread hybridisation lend credibility the idea that Australia’s dogs are “invasive” pests to be eradicated, as opposed to a native species worthy of protection.
While dingoes can pose a threat to livestock, they play an essential role in Australia’s ecosystems, protecting Australia’s grasslands from over-grazing by preying upon large herbivores such as kangaroos and feral deer.
“The term “wild dog” should be removed from public language and legislation. Dingo and feral dog should be used instead. This change in terminology would accurately reflect the fact that a vast majority of the wild canines in Australia are pure dingoes – and the hybrids are predominantly dingo in their genetic make-up.”
“A name change would also align with calls from Australia’s First Nations people to respect and acknowledge the dingo as a native and culturally significant species.”
