October 31, 2017 by Deborah Smith
A major study of dingo DNA has
revealed dingoes most likely migrated to Australia in two separate waves via a
former land bridge with Papua New Guinea.
The find has significant
implications for conservation, with researchers recommending the two
genetically distinct populations of dingoes – in the south-east and north-west
of the country – be treated as different groups for management and conservation
purposes.
"Care should be taken not to
move dingoes between the different wild populations," says study first
author and UNSW Sydney scientist Dr Kylie Cairns. "And captive breeding
programs should ensure the two dingo populations are maintained separately,
with genetic testing used to identify ancestry."
Dr Cairns says there is also an
urgent need to prevent further inter-breeding between domestic dogs and the south-eastern population of
dingoes, which is threatened by genetic dilution, habitat loss and lethal
control measures such as baiting and the recently reintroduced wild dog bounty
in Victoria.
"Effective containment or
neutering of male dogs in rural areas may help achieve this reduction in
inter-breeding," says Dr Cairns, of the School of Biological, Earth and
Environmental Sciences.
"Additionally, baiting and
culling practices break apart dingo packs, leading to increased incidences of
hybridisation. Alternative livestock protection measures need to be explored,
such as livestock guardians, predator deterrents and improved dingo-proof
fencing," she says.
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