When a puppy was found in the backyard in rural Australia, conservationists rejoiced when they discovered it wasn’t a puppy at all, but a purebred endangered Australian alpine dingo.
Lyn Watson, the director of the Australian Dingo Foundation said that of the three types of Australian dingoes, alpine dingoes are the only ones currently in danger of extinction.
The dingo pup, named Wandi, after the town he was found in, was moved to the foundation’s sanctuary while his DNA results were pending.
A purebred alpine dingo is extremely valuable in reviving the population. Wandi could eventually become part of the sanctuary’s breeding program, which includes about 40 other adult dingoes.
“Nowhere on the east coast of Australia can you find a dingo population that isn’t at least fifty percent, and in some cases, eighty percent, domestic dog,” said Ricky Spencer, an associate professor of zoology at the University of Western Sydney, told the magazine at the time.
If all goes well and Wandi gets along with the rest of the population in the sanctuary, he could be a major asset in helping to rebuild the alpine dingo population.