How Do Dingoes Protect Themselves?
Dingoes protect themselves by moving in a secretive fashion and, when threatened, acting as a group to defend themselves. Dingoes face several threats such as crocodiles, humans and other canines like jackals and domestic dogs. Eagles are a threat to young dingoes.
Dingoes are territorial and sometimes kill members of other packs when they are encountered. Young adults are generally solitary, but as they reach adulthood, they form packs of between three and 12 individuals. Each pack is led by an alpha male and alpha female, which are the only mating pair allowed to breed. This pair breeds once a year and the whole pack works to support its litter. The alpha female kills the pups of any other females who give birth in the pack.
Dingoes often hunt small prey like rabbits, rats, birds and reptiles alone. They only hunt in packs for larger prey such as kangaroos, sheep and young cows. Populations outside Australia often live in close association with humans, and a substantial portion of their diets consist of human refuse. A large proportion of the dingoes in close association with humans are actually hybrids between dingoes and domestic dogs. Pure dingo populations are only found consistently in protected areas in Australia.
