A population of desert dingoes living along the Victorian and South Australian border could become the first of their kind to be recognised nationally as being in danger of extinction. According to the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC), a three-year assessment will determine whether the animals, known locally as wilkerr, require federal protection due to historical culling and severe inbreeding.
Federal Assessment Targets Wilkerr Survival Risks
The TSSC advises the federal government on what species and ecosystems are threatened. Over the next three years, the committee will evaluate an application submitted two years ago by Big Desert Dingo Research and the Australian Dingo Foundation to consider wilkerr critically endangered.
Wildlife ecologist Euan Ritchie of Deakin University stated that camera trapping and genetic evidence reveal a high rate of inbreeding within the isolated group. Professor Ritchie noted that the population contains examples of full siblings we think are breeding with each other. He stated that [wilkerr] is “well on its way to extinction” with “about 100 or fewer adult individuals in the population.”
Did you know? Wilkerr are one of eight genetically distinct sub-populations of dingoes in Australia, possessing an average dingo ancestry of about 87 per cent across 16 sampled wilkerr according to genetic studies comparing modern populations with ancient DNA samples from pre-European colonisation.
Cultural Significance and Conservation Debates
Western Victoria’s Wotjobaluk Nations hold a deep cultural bond with the wilkerr, a relationship highlighted through traditional creation narratives and ancient rock art. However, conservation plans face fierce debate among different groups with competing interests. Melinda Browning, Australian Dingo Foundation director, called for a moratorium on all lethal control of wilkerr, particularly in South Australia, while the assessment was undertaken. She stated it seems “crazy to be assessing a critically endangered population while lethal control is still happening.”
To preserve and improve the genetic health of the group, Professor Ritchie mentioned that bringing in dingoes from alternative sub-populations might need to be evaluated. Simultaneously, he pointed out that no immediate plans exist for this approach, and moving new animals would present challenges because dingoes are fiercely territorial.
South Australian and Victorian Policy Clashes
The wilkerr live in the Ngarkat Conservation Park in South Australia. A spokesperson for a Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) spokesperson stated that wild dogs inside the SA dog fence, including Ngarkat Conservation Park, are managed to protect SA’s $1.7 billion sheep industry. The South Australian government has not yet formally considered the wilkerr threatened species assessment, with the PIRSA spokesperson stating there are “significant concerns about evidence provided to support the nomination of the wilkerr wild dog population as critically endangered,” specifically questioning the geographic extent of the population, its actual abundance and whether there is evidence of a population decline.
Victoria has protected the wilkerr since 2024, but that policy could shift if the opposition party—which has pledged to abolish the measure—wins the upcoming state election in November. Victorian Farmers Federation board member Peter Star, a cattle and sheep producer, emphasised that farmers require protection for sustainable operations. He observed that landowners whose properties border the national park in north-west Victoria are currently barred from taking measures against any wild dogs crossing onto their land.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are wilkerr?
Wilkerr are a genetically distinct sub-population of dingoes in Australia inhabiting nature reserves across the Victorian and South Australian border.
Why are they facing extinction risks?
According to researchers, the population could die out because of the compounded effects of inbreeding and historical culling, with about 100 or fewer adult individuals in the population.
How do farmers view the potential national protection?
Agricultural representatives express concern regarding management and stock loss, with farmers facing mounting stock loss since the 2024 state protection order.
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