Welcome to You Ask Andy

Peggy Kennedy, age 12, of Spokane, Wash.

What is a dingo.?  _

The shepherd hates the wolf and the rancher hates the coyote, In the same way, the dingo is hated in Australia. All these wild meat eaters, the wolf, the coyote and the dingo are threats to mans domesticated herds and flecks. The wolf and the coyote are not found in Australia, but the dingo is a very close relative of the wolf.

In spite of his bad reputation, he is a very handsome wild dog. He is about three feet long plus another twelve inches of bushy tail. His soft coat may be tan, rusty red or golden yellow. But his toes and tip of his fluffy tail are always white. He is a swift and powerful dog with a mouth­ful of sharp white teeth.

The native animals of Australia are the gentle, salad‑eating marsupials. Before the white roan came, dog dingo found life there very pleasant. All but a few of the marsupials, such as the big kangaroos, were easy victims for him. Perhaps no meat‑eating animal in the world was better fed.

The strange animal life of Australia attracted a lot of attention. Experts tried to explain it by studying fossils dating back millions of years. The story gathered from these fossils explains why most of Australians wild animals are marsupials. It also suggests how the blood thirsty dingo came to be mixed up with these gentle vegetarians.

For though the fossils of the marsupials date back‑for millions of years, the bones of the dingo date back no farther than 5,000 years. Millions of years ago, Australia was a part of a larger land mass. At that time, the marsupials were the most advanced of all animals and the carnivores had not yet arrived to prey upon them. Australia broke away and became an island before these meat eaters arrived on other continents with tooth and claw.

 On their safe island home, the marsupials flourished. Then, perhaps about 10,000 years ago, men arrived and with them brought their half tamed dogs. Some of these doss ran wild and became the ancestors of the dingo.

In Australia there is now a price on every dingo's head. Even so, a few people have taken the trouble to understand him. They tell us that he is not hard to love, He is, after all, a dog with a doggie affection for the human family. Taken as a pup he males a true and loyal pet.

The dingo does not bark like a dog, or howl like a wolf or coyote. He gives a few sad yelps and a lone; sorrowful wail. Perhaps his sad voice expresses the sad fact that he is not adopted by the human family as a true dog should be. And, as an enemy of the herds and flecks, dog dingo's lot in Australia is not likely to improve. In fact, with a price on his  head, he may someday become extinct.

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