PUBLISHERS DESCRIPTION

 

Cuts through longstanding myth and political noise to offer a deeper understanding of the dingo.

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Canis dingo is a captivating exploration of one of Australia’s most iconic and polarising species. Drawing on two decades of scientific research, historical records and firsthand fieldwork, Bradley P. Smith traces how a wild canid became entangled in myth, law and livestock conflict, revealing what is at stake in the way Australia treats its apex predator.

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As new scientific discoveries unsettle entrenched views, and awareness of the dingo’s ecological and cultural value grows, Australia is being forced to confront uncomfortable questions. Is the dingo a native species or a feral intruder? A wild canid or domestic dog gone rogue? A threat to biodiversity or one of its last remaining guardians? The answers matter, because they flow into real-world decisions that determine whether dingoes are protected or killed across much of the continent.

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Blending field science, published research, historical evidence and expert perspectives, this book cuts through longstanding myth and political noise to offer a deeper understanding of the dingo and its place in modern Australia.

 

FEATURES

 

• Presents a timely and evidence-based reappraisal of Australia’s most misunderstood predator, challenging myths and reframing the national conversation.

• Integrates scientific research, ecological theory, Indigenous cultural perspectives and policy analysis to explore the dingo’s identity, origins and role in Australian landscapes.

• Investigates the complex politics behind dingo management, including hybridisation myths, legal definitions and the influence of industry and government agendas.

• Explores practical, non-lethal strategies for coexistence, highlighting Indigenous knowledge, emerging science and community-led solutions for living with predators.

• Combines engaging storytelling with personal field experience to create an accessible, thought-provoking account.

 

CONTENTS

 

Preface
Cultural sensitivity warning

1 Introduction

Part 1 A new arrival
2 Origins
3 Dingo Dreaming
4 The case of the vanishing tiger

Part 2 The dingo
5 Secrets to survival
6 Following the sun
7 A wolf in a dog’s clothing

Part 3 Dingoes in the landscape
8 The dingo effect
9 The feral invaders
10 Rewilding

Part 4 An identity in crisis
11 Taxonomic tangles
12 Between worlds
13 The hybrid myth
14 True blue

Part 5 Dingoes in the crossfire
15 Dangerous liaisons
16 The mad red hour
17 Wild dog menace

Part 6 Embracing the wild
18 The baiting paradox
19 Breaking the cycle
20 Pathways to coexistence

Acknowledgements
Chapter sources and further reading
Index

 

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