Dingoes are primitive canids and are related to wolves. They are not part of ancestral fauna in Australia and are thought to have arrived here between 3500-4000 years ago.
They are large carnivores and as such fill an important place in the eco-system however, they have also become a serious predator of domestic stock.
In Queensland, the Dingo is a restricted invasive animal under the Biosecurity Act 2014. It must not be moved, kept, fed, given away, sold or released into the environment without a permit.
However, the dingo is an anomaly in legislative terms as it is considered an invasive animal by Biosecurity yet is defined as 'native wildlife' under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and is a natural resource within protected areas such as National Parks. Under the Nature Conservation Act 1992, protected areas (like National Parks) have prescribed management principles, which refer to protecting and conserving the natural resource and the natural condition.
Confused? We're not surprised! In a nutshell dingoes located in National Parks are protected, but those located outside are considered invasive species. They cannot be kept as domestic pets unless relevant permits are obtained from the authorities.
Either way dingoes are not an animal that FNQ Wildlife Rescue is licenced to care for.
