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2021 – Australia At Night: Dingo
FIFTH COIN IN THIS POPULAR SERIES
Brought to Australian shores thousands of years ago, and by nature unpredictable, the Dingo is Australia’s native wild dog and largest carnivorous mammal. Noted for their speed, agility and stamina, dingoes are active at night, hunting in packs between dusk and dawn for prey including kangaroos, rabbits and wombats. Interestingly, although it could be the world’s oldest breed of dog, the dingo cannot bark. What the dingo can do, however, is swivel its head around almost a full 180 degrees in both directions!
Australia's Native Dog, The Dangerous Dingo
The Australian Dingo is an ancient, free roaming, primitive canine unique to the continent of Australia, specifically the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to their wild Asian Gray Wolf parent species, Canis lupus. Since that time, living largely apart from people and other dogs, as well as the demands of Australian ecology, has caused them to develop features and instincts that distinguish them from all other canines. Australian Dingoes have maintained ancient characteristics that unite them, along with other primitive dogs, into a taxon named after them, Canis lupus dingo, and has separated them from the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris.
Dingoes play an important role in the various ecosystems of Australia; they are apex predators and the largest terrestrial predators on the continent. Due to their habit of attacking livestock and the vulnerability of sheep, dingoes and other wild dogs are seen as a pest by the sheep industry and the resulting control methods normally run counter to dingo conservation efforts. An important animal in Aboriginal culture, the dingo is depicted in many rock carvings and cave paintings.
Today, it is estimated that the majority of the modern "dingoes" are also descended from other domestic dogs. The number of these so-called dingo-hybrids had increased significantly over the last decades and the dingo was therefore classified as vulnerable. "Pure dingos" are getting rare, and are the subject of much debate and conservation efforts.
The latest release in this sought-after series is Australia's own wild dog, the resourceful and cunning Dingo. This medium-sized canid that possesses a lean, hardy body designed for speed, agility and stamina. Genetic evidence suggests that there has been no artificial selection over the past five millennia, so that the dingo therefore represents an early form of dog from 4,000–6,000 years ago. They have lived, bred, and undergone natural selection in the wild, isolated from other canids until the arrival of European settlers, resulting in an unique canid.
Limited mintage of 1,000 pieces worldwide.
Obverse
A mother Dingo rests with her two pups near their den, under the light of a full moon, while a large male Dingo howls at the same. The scene sports a proprietary black treatment to simulate the nighttime. The legends AUSTRALIA AT NIGHT and DINGO denote the theme.
Reverse
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in crowned profile facing right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl earrings, was executed by the sculptor Ian Rank Broadley. The legend ELIZABETH II, the date of issue and denomination also appear, while the legend 1 OZ 999 SILVER guarantees the weight and purity.
Niue
Island Country
Niue is a small island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. It’s known for its limestone cliffs and coral-reef dive sites. Migrating whales swim in Niue's waters between July and October. In the southeast is the Huvalu Forest Conservation Area, where trails through fossilized coral forests lead to the Togo and Vaikona chasms. The northwest is home to the rock pools of Avaiki Cave and the naturally formed Talava Arches. ― Google
Capital: Alofi
Dialing code: +683
Population: 1,620 (2018)
Currency: New Zealand Dollar
Continent: Oceania
Official languages: Niue, English
Government: Parliamentary system, Constitutional monarchy, Non-partisan democracy.
Photos taken with Nikon D3300 DSL Camera with attached AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G lens. Adobe Photoshop Elements used to fix any digital artifacts.