Dingoes are unique wild canids found across Australia, often sparking curiosity due to their distinctive behaviors and sounds. Many people wonder if these ancient animals bark like the domestic dogs commonly seen in homes and neighborhoods. However, their vocal repertoire is quite different from that of domesticated canines, reflecting their wild lineage and communication needs.
The Sounds of Dingoes
Dingoes rarely bark in the repetitive, sustained manner characteristic of many domestic dogs. Their bark is typically short, sharp, and monosyllabic, often described as a single “woof” or a “snuff bark.” This type of vocalization accounts for only a small percentage of their overall sounds and is primarily used as an alarm or warning signal. A mother dingo might also use a specific bark to call her cubs back to the den if danger is near.
Their primary form of long-distance communication is howling, which serves various purposes, including attracting pack members, locating other dingoes for regrouping, and marking territory. Dingo howls vary significantly. Dingoes often howl in chorus, and the variability in pitches within these group howls may even help them convey the apparent size of their pack to other canids without visual contact.
Beyond barking and howling, dingoes possess a diverse range of vocalizations. They use whines to express submission, greet others, or signal distress. Growls are also part of their repertoire, typically indicating warning or aggression. Other sounds include yelps, chortles, snorts, chatters, and even purrs.
Why Dingoes Vocalize Differently
The distinct vocalizations of dingoes, particularly their reduced barking, stem from their evolutionary history and wild nature, contrasting sharply with the domestication process of modern dogs. Dingoes are an ancient lineage of dog, isolated in Australia for thousands of years. This long period of isolation meant they were not subjected to the selective breeding pressures that profoundly shaped domestic dog breeds.
Domestic dogs, over generations, were selectively bred by humans for specific traits, including vocalizations that facilitated communication with people. Barking became a common form of expression for domestic dogs to alert owners, demand attention, or respond to various stimuli in a human-centric environment. In contrast, dingoes evolved in the wild, and their vocalizations are primarily adapted for communication within their packs and across their natural habitats, without a need for frequent interaction with humans.
Genetic analyses show that dingoes are an early offshoot of modern dogs, positioned between the grey wolf and today’s domesticated breeds on the evolutionary timeline. They possess a single copy of the amylase 2B gene, unlike many domestic dogs that have multiple copies, a trait linked to a diet including starchy human foods. This genetic difference, combined with their sustained existence in the wild, explains why their vocal repertoire, emphasizing howls and other non-barking sounds, is suited for survival and communication in their natural environment rather than for human interaction.