10,000 years ago - the impact of people
Hunters and scavengers
The Dingo - a placental mammal - is Australia's largest surviving meat-eating mammal. It was probably introduced to Australia by sea-faring people about 4,000 years ago. Its origins have been traced back to a south Asian variety of Grey Wolf (Canis lupus lupus).
Soon after the arrival of the Dingo, the Tasmanian Thylacine (Australia's largest marsupial predator) rapidly declined on the mainland probably because it was out-competed by the Dingo.
Dingo
When does an Ozzie become an Ozzie?
Dingoes have a very short history in Australia compared with the 55-million-year history of marsupial predators. However, during their 4,000 years of occupation, Dingoes have adapted quickly to fit a wide variety of Australian habitats and have in turn changed the ecosystems of which they are a part. Although the Dingo is regarded as a pest in some states, there are moves to have it protected in others.
