The origins and history of dingoes, an iconic Australian wild animal, have long been a mystery. Scientists have debated whether dingoes are truly wild or if they were once domesticated animals that became feral. However, a new study published in PLOS One has provided crucial clues to this mystery by examining the burial of dingoes alongside First Nations people in ancient times.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, observers noticed that traditional First Peoples’ societies in mainland Australia would take dingo pups from the wild and raise them for various purposes. However, these dingoes would always return to the wild after about a year of age. This behavior is unlike domestic dogs, which tend to stay with their human families long-term. The fact that most dingoes live without relying on people is one of the reasons why there is a difference in scientific opinion regarding their domestication status.
To understand if there were different arrangements between dingoes and Australia’s First Peoples before colonial disruptions, the researchers examined the bones of dingoes buried alongside people. Historical accounts and archaeological evidence have shown that dingoes were often buried in the same manner as humans in the same region. This act of burial suggests a sense of care and belonging to a community, which some argue is a sign of domestication.
The researchers conducted primary investigations of previously unstudied animal bones at the Curracurrang archaeological site in the Royal National Park. They found that the site contained the skeletons of several dingoes buried around 2,300-2,000 years ago, continuing until the colonial era. Some of these dingoes were adults, well past the age at which they would typically return to the wild. They had severely worn teeth, indicating a diet heavy in large bones, likely from human meals. One dingo even showed signs of being cared for by people during its decline from an aggressive form of cancer.
The researchers also found the burial of dingo pups, suggesting that some were born within human camps but did not survive long. These findings provide the first evidence of dingo pup burial in Australia.
The dingo burials at Curracurrang reveal a previously obscured relationship between Australia’s First Peoples and their dingo companions. Tame dingoes lived alongside people, ate the same foods, and possibly even had litters of pups within human camps. While not all dingoes were domesticated, these findings suggest that some were in ancient times. This new understanding highlights the deep antiquity and closeness of the connection between Australia’s First Peoples and their native dogs, extending beyond the temporary associations recorded during the colonial era.
