Dingo Awareness Centre
For too long now we have mistaken the dingo for a dog and a pest to the eco system, and our country is now suffering the consequences of this misunderstanding. We believe it is vital to bring this to public attention, and it is for this reason that we have established the Dingo Awareness Centre. We are currently working in conjunction with the Australian Dingo Foundation, have written a book, Dawn of a Dingo Day, have an active save the dingo petition and are working on a nation-wide campaign, to stimulate this awareness. Our ultimate goal is to expose the vital dingo role, with intention to have its protection mandated across all states for the sake of ecological harmony. All proceeds are being directed back into the movement to help drive this message forwards.
DINGO ENCOUNTERS
$30 Per Person
Ages 10+
children must be accompanied by parent
To learn about the true nature of the dingo and the importance of its participation in the Australian eco-system, we are offering a hands-on, face to face encounter with a bonded dingo pair, and an educational discussion with one of our informed staff, covering the full spectrum of the dingo tale.
PLEASE NOTE: we cannot guarantee the availability of the dingo encounter at this time, due to uncertain circumstances.- Thank you for your understanding -
'Dawn of a Dingo Day'
DAWN of a DINGO DAY takes a closer look at the ecological role of the dingo against the backdrop of Australia’s collapsing eco-system. Positioned at the uppermost point of the food chain, Dingoes have been tasked with managing the ecosystem from the top down. Too little effort has been made in emphasising the dingo’s capability to facilitate balance in the environment.
Dawn of a Dingo Day is a short but concise work, adorned with beautiful photography, and filled with thought provoking material that every Australian should know. The dingo is Australia’s most important ecological asset.
PURCHASE your copy, become a DINGO ADVOCATE and help us to educate Australia. Proceeds are being used to drive the Dingo awareness campaign.
Dingo News
AT HOME WITH DIDIAYER
We were lucky enough to have our Dingoes featured in the Great Ocean Road episode of "At Home With Didiayer". In this short clip, Yosef, managing director of our sanctuary, explains a little about the important ecological role of the dingo.
Review of Victorian Wildlife Act 1975
Josef (our managing director) submitted a REVIEW OF THE VICTORIAN WILDLIFE ACT 1975. He believes dingoes are an important part of Victorian Wildlife and demonstrated the management role they play within the wild.
Managing the Umanagable
An article, written by David Pollock, discussing the reinstating of the dingo in Australian rangelands for pastral sustainability.
Dingo, A Treasure to Protect
An article, written by Josef Lasarow, in the Geelong Advertiser.
PHOTO BY: WILL MAC
Canis Dingo
Interestingly, the dingo (Canis Dingo) is not a sub-species of the dog or the wolf, but in fact a species on its own.
Their behaviour and ecological function, however, is similar to that of the wolf. Sadly, both the dingo and the wolf are significantly misunderstood, and their real tale has almost never been told.
In truth, dingoes and wolves play a vital role in maintaining stability and biodiversity of major ecosystems by targeting the sick and the weak, and by ensuring animal population stability. In Australia, the dingo, being the apex predator, the system as it stands cannot survive without them.
Disturbingly, today - as a result of the lack of understanding of their critical importance, the dingoes are regarded as pest or vermin, a danger to livestock, and even a possible threat to humans.
Due to these misconceptions they have faced ongoing persecution over the last two and a half centuries since the European colonisation of Australia in 1788. The straw that broke the camel's back was the 1980 “dingo ate my baby” saga which branded the dingo worldwide as a “vicious killer of babies”.
Being an endangered species and fighting for survival, the dingoes are still not protected in most Australian states.
As a result of this outrageous situation, we stand to lose a prized and iconic animal, and witness the collapse of the Australian mainland ecosystem - a national disaster and international disgrace - if we don’t come to understand the urgency of returning the dingoes to their rightful place enabling them to fulfil their crucial function.
We have now officially gone live with our petition to recognise and save the DINGO.
Below is a small excerpt from our public outreach statement. To read the full statement please click on the link below. If you agree with the message, please sign the petition and share the link as a matter of urgency.
“Established eco-systems have a natural order of coherence and will thrive if left to their own devices. If any link is broken, the entire system will have to re-adjust. If a vital link, the apex predator for example, is removed, this could cause a downwards trophic cascade which will topple the system as it desperately attempts to re-adjust itself, causing catastrophic, irreversible damage in the process. In Australia, this vital link is the dingo.”
Your voice is critical… time is running out
Dingo Cubs
On the 18th of June 2023 we were gifted with an adorable litter of pure-bred Alpine Dingo cubs!
Following the autumn mating season, many female wongari (dingoes) will be pregnant. Gestation takes about 9 weeks, and the litters (usually between 3 to 6) are born and cared for (whelped) during the winter months. At this time of year, care and respect should always be given to wongari and their cubs, and should be wisely left alone.
For the first six months of their lives, the parents will teach their cubs the vital skills to thrive as top-order apex predators (to be discussed later). For the first few weeks, the mother will take full control of the cubs, not allowing even the father to come close. She will dominate the food source ruthlessly and engage in the motherly process of nurturing. The father will find his post, usually an elevated vantage point a way off, and keep a watchful eye on any would be intruders. It would be wise for humans at this time of year (early winter), to respect the dingo families, and allow them their space to go about their important business.