Dingoes and wild dogs

The dingo is an ancient breed of dog that arrived in Australia from Asia about 4000 years ago.

Dingoes are considered to be native animals and are fully protected in the Northern Territory (NT).

Dingoes can breed with domestic dogs. The term wild dog is used for dingoes, feral domestic dogs, and their hybrids.

Physical characteristics

It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish a hybrid dog from a dingo.

Dingoes typically have red, ginger or sandy coat with white markings. Black and tan dingoes are also found in the NT.

Habitat

Dingoes are common throughout the NT.

Genetic studies have shown that most NT dingoes are genetically pure.

You can find hybrid and feral domestic dogs primarily in urban areas, but you may also encounter them far from human settlements.

As dingoes are protected, you must not interfere with them without a permit to take or interfere with wildlife. This includes not feeding dingoes.

Find out about living with dingoes and how to avoid them.

Feeding and diet

Dingoes are an apex predator, which means they're at the top of the food chain and have no natural predators of their own.

They prey on different animals, including mammals, birds and reptiles.

They play an important role in Australian ecosystems.

In the NT, dingoes prey heavily on kangaroos and wallabies and are able to regulate populations of these species.

Dingoes can also regulate populations of some feral animals including rabbits and feral goats.

The absence of feral goats on the mainland NT is believed to be due to the presence of dingoes.

Threat to farmers

Dingoes and wild dogs are known to prey on cattle in the NT.

Young cattle are most vulnerable to attack.

Because of this, you can legally kill dingoes and other wild dogs in beef producing areas through a government-approved management program.

Control

The most common method of control is by using 1080 poison in fresh meat or manufactured baits.

The management program aims to protect cattle from harm while preserving the dingo population in the wild, rather than completely removing all dingoes on pastoral lands.

To align with this goal, there are limits on the number of baits you can use per year on individual cattle properties.

You should never allow your pet dog to roam freely on pastoral areas in the NT as lethal poison baits can stay in the environment for many months.

Read more about controlling wild dogs with 1080 poison.

Report a dingo or wild dog

To report a dingo in your area, contact your closest Parks and Wildlife office:

Darwin: 0401 115 702 or 08 8995 5008.

Katherine: 0419 828 487 or 08 8973 8888.