The dingo ( Canis lupus dingo or Canis dingo ) is a member of the dog family native to Australia, though the name also refers to wild dogs of Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and New Guinea. Dingoes likely came to Australia between 4,600 and 18,300 years ago, well before the domestication of dogs. Dingoes are similar to domestic dogs in structure and habits, with short soft fur, bushy tails, and erect pointed ears. They can measure about 48 inches long, including their 12-inch tail, and stand roughly 24 inches tall. Their fur ranges from yellowish to reddish-brown, often with white underparts, paws, and tail tip, though some can be jet black or pure white. Dingoes hunt alone or in small family groups, consuming mostly rabbits and small rodents. They may have contributed to the extinction of the Tasmanian wolf and Tasmanian devil on the Australian mainland through competition.

Where do dingoes live?

The dingo ( Canis lupus dingo ), a member of the Canidae family, is native to Australia. The name dingo also applies to wild dogs in Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and New Guinea, where they were likely introduced by sea travelers. Dingoes have existed in Australia for approximately 3,500 to 18,300 years. They typically hunt alone or in small groups and can travel long distances daily within territories ranging from 4 to 44 square miles. Dingoes played a role in the extinction of the Tasmanian wolf and Tasmanian devil on the Australian mainland due to competition for resources. They are now classified as a vulnerable species because they are crossbreeding with domestic dogs.

What does a dingo look like?

The dingo ( Canis lupus dingo ) is a member of the dog family native to Australia. Dingoes are similar in structure and habits to domestic dogs, with short, soft fur, a bushy tail, and erect, pointed ears. They grow to about 48 inches long, including their 12-inch tail, and stand roughly 24 inches tall. Dingo fur varies in color from yellowish to reddish-brown, and they often have white underparts, paws, and tail tip, though some dingoes can be jet black or pure white. They can be differentiated from similar-sized domestic dogs by their longer muzzle, larger ears, more massive molars, and longer, more slender canine teeth.

How do dingoes hunt for food?

The dingo is a member of the canidae family native to Australia. They have short soft fur, a bushy tail, and erect pointed ears. Dingoes typically hunt alone or in small groups of 2 to 12, often family members, with daily movements reaching 6–12 miles. Historically, they preyed mostly on kangaroos and wallabies. However, after the introduction of the European rabbit into Australia in the mid-19th century, their diet shifted to mostly rabbits and small rodents. Dingoes are large carnivores, but will occasionally prey on livestock.

How do dingoes interact with other animals and people?

Dingoes, native to Australia, typically hunt alone or in small family groups, preying on animals like rabbits, rodents, kangaroos and wallabies. They compete with other carnivores, like the red fox, and may have contributed to the extinction of the Tasmanian wolf and Tasmanian devil on the Australian mainland. Dingoes can be tamed if captured young, but are often considered pests because they occasionally prey on livestock. This has led to conflict with humans, and dingoes have been eliminated from many settled areas. The dingo fence was erected to keep them out of agricultural areas. Today, the IUCN classifies dingoes as vulnerable due to hybridization with domestic dogs.

What challenges do dingoes face in the wild today?

Today, dingoes face several challenges in the wild. They are sometimes considered pests because they occasionally prey on livestock, leading to their elimination from settled areas. Hybridization with domestic dogs is a significant and growing problem due to spreading human settlement, which dilutes the pure dingo gene pool. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the dingo as a vulnerable species because of this hybridization . Additionally, dingoes face competition for resources with other animals like the red fox.

dingo

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A dingo, an Australian wild dog with a tan coat and white markings, stands alert on a rock with green foliage in the background.

Dingo (Canis dingo, C. lupus familiaris dingo, or C. lupus dingo).

Dingo (Canis dingo, C. familiaris dingo, or C. lupus dingo).

At a Glance

dingo summary

Quick Facts

Also called:: warrigal

Related Topics:: gray wolf; What Dog Breed Is Closest to a Dingo?; Canis

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dingo

mammal

Also known as: Canis dingo, Canis familiaris dingo, Canis lupus dingo, warrigal(Show More)

Written by

Serge Lariviere

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 19, 2026 •History

News •

Dingoes play vital role in protecting animals from feral cats in desert • Oct. 16, 2026, 8:06 PM ET (ABC News (Australia))

Top Questions

What is a dingo?
The dingo (Canis lupus dingo or Canis dingo) is a member of the dog family native to Australia, though the name also refers to wild dogs of Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and New Guinea. Dingoes likely came to Australia between 4,600 and 18,300 years ago, well before the domestication of dogs.

Dingoes are similar to domestic dogs in structure and habits, with short soft fur, bushy tails, and erect pointed ears. They can measure about 48 inches long, including their 12-inch tail, and stand roughly 24 inches tall. Their fur ranges from yellowish to reddish-brown, often with white underparts, paws, and tail tip, though some can be jet black or pure white.

Dingoes hunt alone or in small family groups, consuming mostly rabbits and small rodents. They may have contributed to the extinction of the Tasmanian wolf and Tasmanian devil on the Australian mainland through competition.
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1. Did you know?
2. dingo
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Where do dingoes live?
The dingo (Canis lupus dingo), a member of the Canidae family, is native to Australia. The name dingo also applies to wild dogs in Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and New Guinea, where they were likely introduced by sea travelers. Dingoes have existed in Australia for approximately 3,500 to 18,300 years. They typically hunt alone or in small groups and can travel long distances daily within territories ranging from 4 to 44 square miles.

Dingoes played a role in the extinction of the Tasmanian wolf and Tasmanian devil on the Australian mainland due to competition for resources. They are now classified as a vulnerable species because they are crossbreeding with domestic dogs.
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Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What does a dingo look like?
The dingo (Canis lupus dingo) is a member of the dog family native to Australia. Dingoes are similar in structure and habits to domestic dogs, with short, soft fur, a bushy tail, and erect, pointed ears. They grow to about 48 inches long, including their 12-inch tail, and stand roughly 24 inches tall.

Dingo fur varies in color from yellowish to reddish-brown, and they often have white underparts, paws, and tail tip, though some dingoes can be jet black or pure white. They can be differentiated from similar-sized domestic dogs by their longer muzzle, larger ears, more massive molars, and longer, more slender canine teeth.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Did you know?
2. dingo
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do dingoes hunt for food?
The dingo is a member of the canidae family native to Australia. They have short soft fur, a bushy tail, and erect pointed ears. Dingoes typically hunt alone or in small groups of 2 to 12, often family members, with daily movements reaching 6–12 miles.

Historically, they preyed mostly on kangaroos and wallabies. However, after the introduction of the European rabbit into Australia in the mid-19th century, their diet shifted to mostly rabbits and small rodents. Dingoes are large carnivores, but will occasionally prey on livestock.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do dingoes interact with other animals and people?
Dingoes, native to Australia, typically hunt alone or in small family groups, preying on animals like rabbits, rodents, kangaroos and wallabies. They compete with other carnivores, like the red fox, and may have contributed to the extinction of the Tasmanian wolf and Tasmanian devil on the Australian mainland.

Dingoes can be tamed if captured young, but are often considered pests because they occasionally prey on livestock. This has led to conflict with humans, and dingoes have been eliminated from many settled areas. The dingo fence was erected to keep them out of agricultural areas. Today, the IUCN classifies dingoes as vulnerable due to hybridization with domestic dogs.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What challenges do dingoes face in the wild today?
Today, dingoes face several challenges in the wild. They are sometimes considered pests because they occasionally prey on livestock, leading to their elimination from settled areas. Hybridization with domestic dogs is a significant and growing problem due to spreading human settlement, which dilutes the pure dingo gene pool. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the dingo as a vulnerable species because of this hybridization. Additionally, dingoes face competition for resources with other animals like the red fox.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

dingo, (Canis lupus dingo, Canis dingo), member of the family Canidae native to Australia. Most authorities regard dingoes as a subspecies of the wolf (Canis lupus dingo); however, some authorities consider dingoes to be their own species (C. dingo). The name dingo is also used to describe wild dogs of Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and New Guinea.

The dingo was apparently introduced to Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia by sea travelers. Although the oldest known dingo fossil in Australia dates from about 3,500 years ago, studies of the diversity of DNA in the mitochondria of living individuals have suggested that the first dingoes were introduced to Australia sometime between 4,600 and 18,300 years ago. (By contrast, humans arrived in Australia at least 30,000 years ago.) Thus, it appears that dingoes were introduced to Australia before true domestication of dogs was achieved, allowing establishment of wild populations. It is unclear, however, if dingoes are wild or descended from domesticated or partially domesticated dogs (C. lupus familiaris) that later became feral.

Similar to the domestic dog in structure and habits, the dingo has short soft fur, a bushy tail, and erect pointed ears. It is about 120 cm (48 inches) long, including the 30-cm (12-inch) tail, and stands about 60 cm (24 inches) tall at the shoulder. Females are smaller than males in both height and weight; female adults weigh 11.8 to 19.4 kg (26 to about 43 pounds), while the largest males approach 20 kg (44 pounds). Fur colour varies between yellowish and reddish brown, often with white underparts, paws, and tail tip. The coats of some dingoes may be either jet black or pure white. Dingoes can be differentiated from domestic dogs of similar size and shape by their longer muzzle, larger ears, more-massive molars, and longer and more-slender canine teeth.

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

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Dingoes hunt alone or in small groups of 2 to 12 individuals. Groups typically consist of family members and resemble those of other canines such as wolves. Dingoes are highly mobile; daily movements may reach 10–20 km (6–12 miles), and territories vary in size from 10 to 115 square km (4 to 44 square miles). There is little overlap among adjacent groups; boundaries are delineated by scent marking, and occupancy of territories is also indicated by howling. Dingoes rarely bark, but they have a varied repertoire of howls and are often called “singing dogs.”

Dingoes are large carnivores. Historically, they preyed mostly on kangaroos and wallabies, but their diet changed with the introduction of the European rabbit (genus Oryctolagus) into Australia in the mid-19th century. Now dingoes consume mostly rabbits and small rodents. Through competition, they may have contributed to the extermination of the Tasmanian wolf (thylacine) and Tasmanian devil, both marsupials, on the Australian mainland. Dingoes also compete aggressively with the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), which is invasive in Australia, and help to control red fox populations where both species overlap.

Occasionally, dingoes prey on livestock, especially calves, and for this reason they are often regarded as pests. With the European settlement of Australia, dingoes preyed on sheep and poultry and were consequently eliminated from most settled areas. To help limit dingo incursions from the Outback, the Australian government erected a dingo fence that extended 5,614 km (3,488 miles) across the states of South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland by 1885. Today the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the dingo as a vulnerable species, in large part because of hybridization (that is, the crossbreeding of different species) with domestic dogs, a problem that is constantly increasing with spreading human settlement. Wild dingoes, though bold and suspicious, can be tamed, and they are sometimes captured and tamed by Australian Aboriginal peoples.

Dingoes have their pups in caves, hollow logs, and enlarged rabbit warrens. Breeding occurs in the spring, and, after a gestation period of 63 days, females give birth to usually four or five pups, occasionally as many as 10. As with most other canines, both parents care for the young. Young males often disperse outside their natal areas; one tagged individual was recorded as traveling 250 km (150 miles) in 10 months. The longest known life span for any individual dingo is 18 years 7 months.

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