They are named after their unique howls which have been described as sounding like bird calls or whale songs. They emit a number of other vocalisations including yelps, barks, screams and whines.

Life span
New Guinea singing dogs can live for over 14 years in captivity.

Statistics
Body length and weight: unknown, Shoulder height: 40-45cm.

Physical description
New guinea singing dogs have brown fur with white patches. They have a bushy tail and short legs.

Distribution
These dogs are found in New Guinea.

Habitat
New Guinea singing dogs inhabit mountain forests, and can live at elevations above 2000m.

Diet
New Guinea singing dogs feed on small mammals.

Behaviour
The wild behaviour of New Guinea singing dogs is hardly known.

Reproduction
Females give birth to 4-5 cubs after a gestation period of 63 days.

Conservation status
New Guinea singing dogs are severely threatened as a result of hunting.

Notes
New Guinea singing dogs are the result of domestic dogs that reverted back to the wild in the early stages of domestication. They were discovered in 1957 when the first pair was brought down from the New Guinea Highlands to the Taronga Zoo, Sydney, Australia.