Ancient DNA finally reveals the origins of the dingo

There are many controversies and mysteries surrounding the Australian dingo.

Farmers and ranchers believe them to be menacing pests, while conservationists say these apex predators are vital to the Australian ecosystem.  

Some claim many dingoes regularly interbreed with local domestic dogs out of necessity as human land use increases, while others maintain the dingo is mostly a pure landrace managing to maintain its own population in the wild.

Has the modern dingo hybridized?

Or does it possess a unique genetic code that can be traced to ancient strains?

Did this landrace develop from recent admixture of domesticated dog from the first European settlers?

Or is the New Guinea singing dog closely related to the modern dingo thus proving a much longer natural history for the breed?

With the expansive breakthroughs in DNA analysis over the last twenty years, geneticists have now been able to compare ancient dingo DNA (before the first Europeans arrived) to modern dingo DNA.

Researchers also compared these genetic findings to New Guinea singing dogs for a real in depth look into the origins of the Australian dingo.

Jason Edwards via Getty Images

Scientists extracted DNA from 42 ancient dingo skeletons, dating from 400 to 2,746 years old, found across Australia.

Comparing this DNA with that of modern dingoes, domestic dogs, wolves, and New Guinea singing dogs, they discovered that modern dingoes share much of their DNA with ancient ancestors and little with modern domestic dogs.

This is a HUGE divergence from what many people have believed for a long time; namely that dingoes were mostly wild dingo/dog crosses.

The implications of this study will be staggering as conservationists and native aborigines work to protect the native wild breed from human predation.

The study also found a genetic link between ancient dingoes and New Guinea singing dogs, suggesting interbreeding among them occurred 2,285 - 2,627 years ago.

Researchers say it is altogether possible that New Guinea singing dogs originated from dingoes that traveled with seafaring humans from Australia to New Guinea.

As genetics science further develops, many more amazing canine mysteries may finally be solved.

Such as…

• Could dire wolves have ever bred successfully with ancient gray wolves, even though they were a different species of canine?
  
  
• Does any modern canine possess ancient dire wolf DNA thought to be lost to time?
  
  
• How does dire wolf DNA compare to ancient gray wolf DNA from the same time period?

And many more.

In the meantime, you can continue to follow along with our own genetics work as we strategically and methodically shift 100% domesticated dogs back to the exact bone and body structure of the extinct, prehistoric dire wolf!

Now you have a chance to become part of the project’s history.

Three American Dirus puppies are now for sale OFF THE WAITING LIST.

They are all special in their own wonderful ways.

On Monday, I will share a little bit more about each of them along with updated pictures and new videos.

It is first come, first served at this time, so contact us right away if you are interested.

Here is the link to find out which puppies are waiting to find their new homes.

https://direwolfdogs.com/dogs-for-sale/puppies/

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.