New DNA Testing Technology Shows Majority of Wild Dingoes Are Pure, Not Hybrids
Published:13 Jun.2023 Source:University of New South Wales
Wild dingo populations have less dog lineage, with a significantly greater proportion of pure dingoes than previously thought, according to new research, challenging the view that pure dingoes are on the decline due to crossbreeding. The findings, published in Molecular Ecology, suggest previous studies significantly overestimated the prevalence of dingo-dog mixes in the wild and that lethal methods to control 'wild dogs' target pure dingoes.
For the study, the research team led by UNSW Sydney investigated the extent of dingo hybridisation in different regions across Australia. They used a new genome-wide test to analyse the DNA of 391 wild and captive dingoes and conducted detailed ancestry modelling and biogeographic analysis to find wild dingoes had far less dog ancestry than suggested by prior genetic studies.
In Australia, the term "wild dog" is widely used in policy under the assumption there is widespread dingo-dog hybridisation and very few remaining pure dingoes. Lethal control methods, particularly during dingo breeding season, may inadvertently increase the risk of hybridisation by reducing the availability of pure dingo mates. However, more research is needed to confirm the link.