Dingoes - Facts for Kids

Basic Information

Dingoes are wild dogs native to Australia, and their scientific name is Canis lupus dingo or Canis dingo!

A group of dingoes is called a pack, and they work together to protect their territory and hunt for food!

Adult male dingoes are called “dogs,” females are called “bitches,” and their puppies are called “cubs” or “pups”!

Dingoes belong to the family Canidae, which includes wolves, foxes, and domestic dogs!

Pure dingoes bark differently from regular dogs — short and rarely — and they make unique howling sounds that can be heard over long distances, potentially up to 10 kilometers.

Dingoes arrived in Australia around 4,000 years ago, making them one of the continent’s oldest predators!

A typical dingo pack has between 3 and 12 members, with one breeding pair being the leaders!

Dingoes can live up to 10 years in the wild and up to 13–16 years in captivity!

Unlike domestic dogs, dingoes only breed once per year, usually during the Australian winter!

Dingoes are considered both a native animal and a pest in different parts of Australia!

Physical Characteristics

Adult dingoes typically weigh between 13–20 kilograms (29-44 pounds), about the size of a medium-sized domestic dog!

Dingoes usually have ginger-colored fur, but they can also be black and tan, white, black, brindle (striped), sable (ginger with a dark stripe), or patchy (white with spots).

A dingo’s head is wider and its snout is longer than that of a similar-sized domestic dog!

Dingoes have rotating wrist joints that allow them to use their paws like hands to catch prey!

The average dingo stands about 52–60 centimeters (20–24 inches) tall at the shoulder, about as tall as a kitchen chair!

Dingoes have larger canine teeth and stronger jaws than similarly-sized domestic dogs!

A dingo’s ears are always pointed and can never be floppy like some domestic dog breeds!

Dingoes have excellent night vision and can see clearly in light six times dimmer than what humans need!

The paw prints of a dingo are more narrow and compact than those of domestic dogs of similar size!

Dingoes have incredibly flexible necks and can turn their heads 180 degrees, unlike domestic dogs!

Behavior & Intelligence

Dingoes are highly intelligent and can solve complex problems, including how to open doors and containers!

Each dingo pack has a strict social hierarchy with an alpha male and female pair in charge!

Dingoes communicate using at least 10 different vocalizations, including howls, growls, and snuffs!

Young dingoes play games that teach them important hunting and survival skills!

Dingoes are mainly crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk!

Dingoes often howl together in a chorus, just like wolves! When one starts howling, others join in to sound like a big group and stay connected with their pack.

Dingoes are excellent swimmers and can even climb trees to catch prey or escape danger!

A dingo can leap up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) high and can jump fences that are even taller!

Dingoes mark their territory using scent glands and urine, just like other wild canines!

Young dingoes stay with their parents for up to two years to learn survival skills!

Habitat & Survival

Dingoes can be found in every habitat type in Australia — including deserts, forests, woodlands, alpine regions, and coastal areas — except for the island of Tasmania!

Dingoes can survive in deserts where temperatures reach 50°C (122°F) during the day!

Dingoes don’t need to drink water every day; they can get moisture from their food!

The famous Dingo Fence in Australia is 5,614 kilometers long, making it the longest fence in the world — so long it could stretch from Abuja, Nigeria to London and back!!

Dingoes can run at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour (37 miles per hour) when chasing prey!

Dingoes can survive in snow-covered mountains and tropical rainforests!

Dingoes often use rabbit burrows or hollow logs as dens to rest and raise their pups!

A single dingo territory can cover up to 100 square kilometers (39 square miles)!

Dingoes help control the populations of rabbits, kangaroos, and other herbivores in their ecosystem!

Dingoes can travel up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) in a single day while hunting!

Life Cycle

Dingo puppies are born blind and helpless, weighing only about 200 grams (7 ounces)!

A female dingo usually has 4–6 puppies in each litter, but can have up to 10 pups!

Dingo puppies open their eyes when they’re about 14 days old!

Both male and female dingoes help care for the puppies, bringing them food and protecting them!

Young dingoes start eating solid food when they’re about 5 weeks old!

Dingo pups start learning to hunt with their parents when they’re about 3 months old!

Female dingoes can have their first litter of puppies when they’re about 2 years old!

Dingo puppies are born with darker fur that usually lightens as they grow older!

The pregnancy period for female dingoes is about 63 days, similar to domestic dogs!

Dingo pups stay in their den for the first eight weeks of life!