In 1994, whilst Stockdale Mines were in the area, Taffy found Stock and Dale, two five-day old motherless dingo pups, at Mathew Gorge. He brought the pups home, nurturing them with an eye-dropper and baby bottle until they were old enough to eat meat. Sadly, Dale was taken by wild dingoes at eight weeks old, but Stock survived, and settled into life at Mt Hart.
At twelve months of age, Stock mated with a wild dingo, producing a litter of pups. Taffy kept Casserole, a male, and three years later, Rattatouille, a bitch. Dingoes mate for life, and although a late bloomer, Casserole found his mate three years ago, and produced several litters of pups "out bush". At the grand old age of nine, he failed to return after the 2004 mating season, probably the victim of a younger male. Ratty also succumbed in July 2005, perhaps the victim of a snake bite. Stock, passed in 2006 from old age.
Our new addition Melaleuca prefers to stick a little closer to home, with lots of love and affection. She is 1 year old and a real character, who is addicted to eating ice-cream, mango skins, and her latest craving is cheese. She loves nothing better than being taken for a walk in the afternoon to show off her bush skills. Melaleuca has recently had a litter of 4 pups - 2 of whom we are keeping and the other 2 we have found good homes for. The runt of Melalueca's litter Bohenia is really friendly, adventurous and isn't afraid of anything.
Dingoes differ from domestic dogs in that they cannot bark (but have a wide variety of vocalisations ranging from howling, yelps, crowing and purring), have no dew claw on the hind legs, have no body odour, and only come into oestrus once a year, in late Autumn and Winter. Litters average three to five pups, and are usually born from June to August in the Kimberley. Dingoes are individualistic, highly intelligent, affectionate but cautious. When raised by humans they will form life-time bonds with a family or individual.
Skilled hunters, Dingoes are Australia's largest mammalian predator, and have been in Australia for anywhere up to 10,000years*. According to latest DNA evidence, Dingoes evolved 135,000 years ago, predating the wolf. A genetic marker has been found in dingoes that is not present in wolves, marking the Dingo as a separate species**. Dingoes are known to play a valuable role in controlling populations of introduced predators such as feral cats. Despite the agressive reputation dingoes have acquired over recent years as a result of media exagerration, the wild dingo is naturally shy and reserved. In captive conditions the extremely intelligent dingo is fully capable of being trained to be acompanion to man. Dingoes will not attack humans unprovoked. Documented
and authenticated serious dingo interactions are extremely rare - less than five in recorded history, yet each year dogs attack 10,000 to 15,000 humans. The dingo is entrenched in aboriginal folklore and a totem spirit in many parts of Australia.
Dingoes are as australian as Aboriginals, and should be recognised as natural heritage and part of our culture. The dingo holds everything in balance. It is an icon of Australian heritage.
