How far dingoes roam depends on whether they are top dog

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-07-30 09:01

Australia; NSW

Image by Kev from Pixabay

How far dingoes roam during breeding season depends on whether they are the dominant male and how many pups they may have in their home territory, according to Australian research. The team used GPS collars and camera traps to track five dingo packs and found that subdominant males were detected more outside their pack’s home range during the breeding season, while subdominant female dingo roaming didn't change. Dominant dingoes spent more time in their territory, especially when they had more pups from the previous year, possibly defending resources and mates.

Media release

From: The Royal Society

Canids without borders? Dingo movement depends on sex, social status, and sibling survival.

Royal Society Open Science

Territoriality influences animal movement as individuals defend areas from outsiders. We studied dingo space use in Australia, tracking five packs with GPS collars and camera traps, focusing on movement changes before and during the annual breeding season. Subdominant males were detected more often outside their home range, likely seeking mates, while subdominant females showed no change. Dominant dingoes spent more time in their territory, especially when they had more pups from the previous year, possibly defending resources and mates. These findings highlight how sex, breeding status, and competition shape movement, informing management strategies for apex predators like dingoes.

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Journal/
conference: Royal Society Open Science

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: The University of New South Wales, Macquarie University, The University of Sydney, Taronga Conservation Society Australia

Funder: This project received funding and support from National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW, MidCoast Council, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, and was also supported by a UNSW Research Technology Services (ResTech) AWS cloud grant. The Myall Lakes Dingo/Dapin Project was established with a grant from the Hermon Slade Foundation

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