Mammals: New Guinea Singing Dog

Range: New Guinea highland mountains Habitat: mountains, thick forests

Singin’ in the rain forest

The mossy, wet cloud forest on the island of New Guinea holds an ancient secret: a seldom seen, fiercely predatory wild canine called the New Guinea singing dog. Cute and perky, singing dogs are not exactly scary but rather like little pooches with big voices! They use their tuneful howling to communicate with other “singers.”

Singing dogs have a dense, rough coat that is golden red or black and tan with white markings. Wide cheekbones, a narrow muzzle, and petal-shaped ears give the dog’s face a distinctive, impish expression. Well adapted to hunting in steep areas with thick vegetation, the singing dog’s joints and spine are extremely flexible for a dog—they climb and jump like a cat!

Controversial canine

Are New Guinea singing dogs domestic dogs, feral dogs, or wild dogs? Yes—they have, at one time or another, been classified as all three! Their taxonomy has caused a scientific hullabaloo for over 50 years. The New Guinea singing dogs’ fossil records date back at least 6,000 years: they are considered to be living fossils! Maybe they were Stone Age man's best friends?

Singing dogs made their debut in the modern scientific community in the 1950s as a wild dog species. The first pair of singing dogs to leave New Guinea went to the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, in 1957. In 1958, they were given the scientific name Canis hallstromi after Sir Edward Hallstrom, the president of the Taronga Zoo. In 1969, they were reclassified as feral dogs and listed as a subspecies of the Australian dingo Canis lupus familiaris dingo. Recently, they have been reclassified yet again and given the taxonomic name of Canis lupus familiaris hallstromi. Whew!

Chasing your tail

So, which came first: the dingo or the singer? Up until about 6,000 years ago, there was a land bridge connecting Australia and New Guinea. The Australian dingo could very well have originated from the New Guinea singing dog and then adapted to hunting larger prey in Australia’s wide-open spaces. OR, the New Guinea singing dog may have originated from the dingo and adapted to hunt in thick vegetation on steep mountainsides. OR, there is always the possibility that a now-extinct ancient dog population separately founded both species. Are you dizzy yet?

A wild streak!

New Guinea singing dogs are different from domestic dog breeds in several ways. Physically, their upper first molar, called a carnassial tooth, is quite large, a trait normally present only in wild canid species such as wolves. Then, their eyes seem to be more reflective of light than domestic dogs', shining bright green in low light. The singers also appear to have social or play behaviors that are different from that of wolves and dogs. They like to be tidy and neat, and they regularly groom themselves, much like a cat.

Dog food

Little is known about singing dogs in the wild, not even their dining habits. When hunting, they probably do so alone. Meal leftovers show that singers prey on small mammals, small reptiles, and birds; they even try to hunt 3.5-foot-tall (1-meter-tall) dwarf cassowaries! New Guinea singing dogs have a strong hunting drive and fearless nature, and they are highly curious. The dogs can get their entire body through any opening wide enough for their head. If it moves, they hunt it!

At the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, singers are fed carnivore diet, a dry kibble diet, chicken breast, and beef heart, with extra treats for training. Twice a week our singer family receives rib bones. They are definitely not required to “sing for their supper,” but they usually do!

It’s a dog’s life

Not much is known about the family habits of elusive wild singers, but it is most likely that they do not live in packs. Researchers believe that New Guinea singing dogs probably hunt alone and possibly defend a territory in mated pairs. Although their group numbers may be small, there are social rules and a dominant dog. At the San Diego Zoo, we’ve observed that when in new or unfamiliar situations, female singing dogs tend to be most confident and assertive, while males are more cautious and submissive.

Both parents participate in raising puppies, usually with Dad taking on the role of disciplinarian. Puppies spend most of their day sleeping or playing. Unlike most doggies’ happy, tail-wagging play bow, the singers’ entire body is lowered and an intent stare is directed at the potential playmate. They will then take off running toward their playmate, ready to tackle, wrestle, nip, pull, pounce, and, of course, bark. Playing reinforces social bonds and is great practice for future hunting expeditions. Singers are great climbers, even climbing trees, and their sparring matches often take them up hills and over ledges.

Dog-eat-dog world

Living in the New Guinea highlands, it is believed that just a few remain in the wild. If the New Guinea singing dog is in fact a true wild dog, then its status is endangered. There are only several hundred documented animals in existence. Threats to their population include inbreeding, breeding with domestic dogs that have been introduced to the island, and habitat destruction.