The New Guinea singing dog gets its name from its unique bark or growl that has been compared to the call of a whale.
They’re critically endangered and scientists had previously thought they only existed in captivity.
However, an expedition located and studied wild dogs in the remote highlands of the western side of New Guinea island, which is Indonesia’s, Papua Province.
They were able to study biological samples and found that even though the genomes were not identical, they believe the highland dogs are the wild and original New Guinea singing dogs; the difference in genes being put down to physical separation and inbreeding with the captive breed.
Dr Kylie Cairns, a conservation biologist from the University of New South Wales, said it is an exciting development for the conservation of the New Guinea singing dog.