Australia's dingos are being threatened as a distinct canine subspecies by inbreeding with excaped pets and other wild dogs.
Australian researchers say they have found that the country’s wild dogs have grown 20 percent in size over the past 50 years due to crossbreeding with dingos and escaped pet dogs
Ricky Spencer of the University of Western Sydney analyzed the weight and size of nearly 2,000 wild dogs captured in every Australian state and territory in making his conclusion.
“We are basically talking dogs that were on average probably around about 31 or 33 pounds that are now sort of heading towards the 37.5- or 42-pound weight range,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Spencer says he fears the wild dogs crossbreeding with the dingo threatens that famed canine’s existence as a distinct subspecies.
He proposes finding ways to selectively control the growing mongrel dogs to protect the purebred Australian dingo.
Photo: Pete Karas - iStockphoto
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