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Between 1975 and 1984, 105 radio-collared dingoes, Canis familiaris dingo, were tracked and observed
from aircraft on the Fortescue River in Western Australia. The majority of dingoes were members
of 18 territorial packs, including four pairs. Five packs were monitored for more than three years.
Most bitches became pregnant, including those 9-10 months old, although not all litters were raised.
Packs raised an average of 1.1 litters per year. Instances of packs raising the litters of two bitches in
a year were recorded. The area (up to 400km*2) was covered initially (1975-78) by a mosaic of stable
pack territories. Little emigration occurred and population density rose to a peak of 22.2 dingoes per
100km*2 in 1978 due to an increase in pack size. Perturbations to the social system, including disintegration
of some packs, an increase in emigration, shifts of pack territories and contraction of
territories into the most favoured areas, coincided with high population density and a reduced food
supply. After aerial baiting in 1980 killed all the dingoes from the study site, immigrants from
surrounding areas established a new population. The increase in density was moderated by the formation
of new pairs or packs that occupied surrounding vacant areas. The dispersal strategy of pack members
was a major factor affecting the population density of dingoes in the study area.

Radiotracking was used to evaluate the effectiveness of aerial baiting in controlling populations of wild dingoes, Canisfamiliaris dingo. Four baitings were carried out in the West Pilbara region of Western Australia, using fresh-meat baits or factory-produced baits, poisoned with compound 1080. In one trial fresh-meat baits killed all 18 radio-collared dingoes; in another, factory baits killed 63% of radio-collared dingoes; in a third, 62% were killed by factory and fresh-meat baits. The factors considered to be most important in influencing the results of these trials included the number and distribution of baits dropped, bait type, and the age and social status of dingoes. Aerial baiting was shown to be an efficient and cost-effective dingo control technique under the conditions existing during the study. The long-term effects on the dingo population are discussed.

This issue comprises 8 papers by P. C. Thomson (some in collaboration with K. Rose and N. E. Kok) on the dingo in North Western Australia. They cover the behavioural ecology including activity patterns, diet, hunting behaviour, social organization, population dynamics, dispersal, age determination and immobilization using darts fired from an aircraft.