The Dingoes Whelping Season....

It's coming into whelping season. Dingoes generally have four biological seasons per year. They are breeding, whelping, rearing and training. Gestation lasts between 59-69 days (average 63 days). Dingoes are whelped during the winter months, usually in an underground den. The female selects suitable den for whelping. Once delivered nursing occurs in two stages. 1st is intensive maternal care of pups, which are confined to den. 2nd Pups are weaned and moved between locations. Pups are normally capable of independence at 3-4 months, in stable packs stay dependent for longer. Then during rearing and training parents teach and train pups. It's more than just food-parents will often bring back food but not allow the pup to eat straight away. She encourages the pups to sniff and explore the food. It's the flavours of meat and the smell associated with that meat, that they learn to know what to eat and what to hunt. Pups can stay with their parents for up to two years normally and either remain with the family and share pack activities, are abandoned or leave territory. During the second year they help rearing of the next litter.