History of Dingo in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 6, 2026

The dingo is a type of dog found in Australia. It is considered a lineage of dog rather than a breed.

1912: Passage of the Wild Dogs Act

In 1912, the Wild Dogs Act was passed by the government of South Australia, leading to dingo scalping and bounties for dingo skins.

1921: Wild Dog Act

In 1921, the Dingo Fence construction was initiated based on the Wild Dog Act.

1931: Erection of Dingo Fences

By 1931, thousands of miles of Dingo Fences had been erected in several areas of South Australia.

1931: Updates and amendments to the Wild Dogs Act.

In 1931, the Wild Dogs Act was followed by updates and amendments.

1938: Updates and amendments to the Wild Dogs Act.

In 1938, the Wild Dogs Act was followed by updates and amendments.

1946: Completion of the Dingo Fence

In 1946, the Dingo Fence was completed, connecting with other fences in New South Wales and Queensland.

1948: Updates and amendments to the Wild Dogs Act.

In 1948, the Wild Dogs Act was followed by updates and amendments.

1980: Death of Azaria Chamberlain

In 1980, two-month-old Azaria Chamberlain died in the Northern Territory in a dingo attack.

1992: Observations of cattle defending calves from dingoes

In 1992, a study in the Fortescue River region observed that cattle defend their calves by circling them or aggressively charging dingoes. Most dingo approaches involved multiple dingoes, and only a few resulted in calves being killed.

1995: Survey among cattle owners on wild dog losses

In 1995, a survey among cattle owners estimated their annual losses due to wild dogs to be from 1.6% to 7.1%, depending on the district.

1995: Dingo predation study in northern wet forests

In 1995, studies in the northern wet forests of Australia found that dingoes did not reduce the number of feral pigs, but their predation only affects the pig population together with the presence of water buffaloes.

1999: Maternal lineage study

In 1999, a study of the maternal lineage using mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) showed that the dingo and New Guinea singing dog evolved when human populations were more isolated.

2003: Dingo impact study in Central Australia

In 2003, a study in Central Australia confirmed that dingoes only have a low impact on cattle numbers when a sufficient supply of other prey (such as kangaroos and rabbits) is available.

2005: Mammal Species of the World classification

In 2005, W. Christopher Wozencraft, in the third edition of Mammal Species of the World, classified the dingo under the wolf Canis lupus as a wild subspecies, proposing two additional subspecies: familiaris (domestic dog) and dingo, including hallstromi (New Guinea singing dog) as a taxonomic synonym for the dingo.

2006: Estimation of cattle losses in the Northern Territory

In 2006, cattle losses in the Northern Territory rangeland grazing areas were estimated to be up to 30%.

2007: Statement on dingo reintroduction studies

In 2007, David Jenkins stated that there were no studies that seriously dealt with the topic of breeding and reintroducing pure dingoes, especially in areas where dingo populations are already present.

2008: Classification of dingoes as an invasive native

As of 2008, some Australian jurisdictions classify dingoes as an invasive native.

2014: Study of pre-20th century dingo specimens

In 2014, a study on pre-20th century dingo specimens found that the dingo skull differed from the domestic dog's by its larger palatal width, longer rostrum, shorter skull height, and wider sagittal crest, although these figures fell within the wider range of the domestic dog. The dingo also has a larger brain size compared to dogs of the same body weight.

2016: Genetic study of dingo lineages

In 2016, a genetic study showed the lineage of northwestern dingoes split from the New Guinea singing dog and southeastern dingo 8,300 years ago, followed by a split between the New Guinea singing dog and southeastern dingo 7,800 years ago. The study proposed two dingo migrations during the existence of the Sahul landmass.

2017: Legal status of the dingo in Australia

As of 2017, the legal status of the dingo varies between Australian jurisdictions.

2017: Genetic study of northwestern dingo population expansion

In 2017, a genetic study found that the population of northwestern dingoes had commenced expanding since 4,000-6,000 years ago, possibly due to their arrival in Australia or the extinction of the thylacine.

2018: Study of fetal/calf loss in South Australia

In 2018, a study in northern South Australia indicated that fetal/calf loss averages 18.6%, with no significant reduction due to dingo baiting. Cattle diseases were a major cause, and dingoes scavenged on the carcasses, with some evidence of predation.

2018: Dating of skeletal bones from Madura Caves

In 2018, the oldest skeletal bones from the Madura Caves were carbon dated between 3,348 and 3,081 YBP, providing the earliest evidence of the dingo. The dispersal of dingoes across Australia is proposed to have taken only 70 years.

2019: IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group Workshop

In 2019, a workshop hosted by the IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group considered the New Guinea singing dog and the dingo to be feral dogs (Canis familiaris) and recommended they not be assessed for the IUCN Red List.

2020: Genetic study of New Guinea Highland wild dogs

In 2020, a genetic study found that the New Guinea Highland wild dogs were sister to the dingo and the New Guinea singing dog.

2020: Mitochondrial DNA study of ancient dog remains

In 2020, a study using mitochondrial DNA from ancient dog remains in China showed that most belonged to the haplogroup A1b lineage, also found in Australian dingoes and pre-colonial Pacific dogs, suggesting a dispersal route through Southeast Asia.

2020: American Society of Mammalogists considers the dingo a synonym of the domestic dog.

In 2020, the American Society of Mammalogists considered the dingo a synonym of the domestic dog.

2020: Whole genome sequencing of the dingo and the New Guinea singing dog

In 2020, the first whole genome sequencing of the dingo and the New Guinea singing dog indicated that their ancestral lineage arose in southern East Asia, migrated through Island Southeast Asia 9,900 YBP, and reached Australia 8,300 YBP. The dingo's genome indicates it was once a domestic dog that underwent feralisation.

2024: Study on Dingo and New Guinea Singing Dog Genome Introgression

In 2024, a study found that the Dingo and New Guinea singing dog show 5.5% genome introgression from the ancestor of the recently extinct Japanese wolf, with Japanese dogs showing 4% genome introgression. This introgression occurred before the ancestor of the Japanese wolf arrived in Japan.