BILLABONG SANCTUARY DINGO UPDATE: Kirby puts her paw down, sends Rocky home

Pack politics have caused a rift at Billabong Sanctuary after the lone female in the new dingo pack got “territorial” over her favourite male, forcing rangers to send the third wheel home.

Research tells us it's the female dingoes who call the shots, and Billabong Sanctuary rangers got an up-close view of these pack politics in action after the sole female of their new pack got “territorial” over her favourite male, forcing them to send the third-wheel home to NSW.

Billabong Sanctuary general manager Cameron Griffiths said all three dingoes, Rocky, Rusty and Kirby, had shown signs of getting along at the Sydney Dingo Rescue before they untook the big drive to Townsville.

“We had two males and one female, that was the recommendation from Sydney Dingo Rescue,” Mr Griffiths said.

“That’s because the females are the ones in charge and they can be the most aggressive in pack hierarchies, so two females can cause a lot of conflict.”

Those with long memories will recall the previous Billabong dingoes being a pair of sisters and a male.

Billabong Sanctuary has welcomed three new dingoes who were raised as pets before being surrendered to a NSW dingo rescue.

Mr Griffiths said Kalari, Allira and King had grown up together as puppies - spending their whole lives together before they died of old age at Billabong.

Kirby, Rusty and Rocky however were all raised separately; Kirby in a Sydney family home, Rusty with a backyard breeder, and Rocky with a family of six.

Dingos can legally be kept as pets in New South Wales.

Female desert dingo Kirby, a new addition at Billabong Sanctuary

“There were very positive signs down south that Rocky, Rusty and Kirby were getting along, but when they arrived the boys were both a bit timid of each other,” Mr Griffiths said.

Once in Townsville, rangers began to slowly increase the amount of time Rocky and Rusty spent around each other, walking them around the park together and sporadically giving them one-on-one time.

However, once the boys were friends again, Kirby changed her mind.

Male desert dingo Rusty.

“Unfortunately during that time Kirby decided she wasn’t going to accept Rocky,” Mr Griffiths said.

“She became very territorial over Rusty and aggressive with Rocky. She didn’t want both.”

After talking to the Sydney Dingo Rescue, the decision was made to send Rocky back to minimise any extra stress on the already naturally timid animals.

Rocky, a male alpine dingo. Rocky was described as the shyest of the group and extremely gentle.

“He was a lovely dingo and they will continue to find him a new home,” Mr Griffith said of Rocky, who was the shyest of the group and described as “extremely gentle”.

“At this stage we are happy with just two dingoes, but who knows what’s going to happen in the future. We are still in contact with Sydney Dingo Rescue.”

Billabong Sanctuary runs dingo talks everyday at 1.45pm and has plans to bring back the famous dingo walks - once Kirby and Rusty are on board with it.

Originally published as BILLABONG SANCTUARY DINGO UPDATE: Kirby puts her paw down, sends Rocky home