MacDirectory 27
CONTENTS DEPARTMENT
ARTICLE
5000 Years Ago: Around 3000
B.C.E.
THE DINGO DASH
Most people know domestic dogs evolved from their
ancestor, the wild wolf, but in Australia, the famous
dingo came from ancient domestic dogs gone feral.
Around 40,000 years ago, archeologists believe the
Aborigines colonized Australia yet there is no
evidence they brought dogs with them. About 5,000
years ago, travelers from the subcontinent of India
landed on Australia with dogs. The Indians
assimilated with the Aboriginal people, and many of
their dogs reverted to their wild state becoming the
top predator on the island continent. Scientists
believe the first domestic dog occurred about
12,000 years ago on the main continents. Yet how
did domestic dogs return to the wild in Australia? It's
possible an isolated village died out leaving their
dogs to defend for themselves and reverting back to
their wild state.
Australian dingos are given the scientific name
Canis lupus dingo and are considered a subspecies
of wolf. Wild dingos reproduce faster than domestic
dogs, possibly to overcome natural mortality and
parasites. They make great mousers (pouncing on
them with their forepaws), and are snake killing
specialists (whipping a snake until its vertebrae
cracks). And like their wolf cousin, they form packs
and live in dens burrowed in the ground.
3000 BC
DEPARTMENT
MacDirectory 27
