Wilkerr Resilience

For years, this aging Wilkerr (dingo) matriarch has been a familiar presence on the trail cameras.

In May of this year, the trail cameras captured her in notable poor condition. Thin, ribs visible, worn and fragile. The kind of image that makes you wonder if her story is nearing its end. I have felt that same worry many times, for both old and young Wilkerr.

The old matriarch looking thin.

The second photo, taken only six weeks later, reveals a different story. Her body has filled out and her coat looks healthier. This is the same Wilkerr, quietly demonstrating the extraordinary resilience of her kind.

Looking much healthier six weeks later.

Over the years, I have seen this pattern repeated. Wilkerr repeatedly demonstrating their ability to endure harsh, dry seasons and recover quickly when conditions improve.

The same is true on K’gari (Fraser Island), where visitors often mistake a lean frame for starvation. In reality, these are wild apex predators whose survival depends on their ability to hunt, adapt, and manage their energy wisely.

In the natural world, it is survival of the fittest. Individuals that are not strong, intelligent, or adaptable enough do not pass on their genes, helping to maintain the overall health of the population.

However, resilience can only take them so far. Nature has equipped dingoes to survive drought, flood, and scarcity, but it cannot protect them from human persecution through trapping, shooting, and baiting.

This old matriarch stands as a reminder that the Big Desert region is harsh, yet Wilkerr are capable of meeting its challenges if given the chance.