The Australian Reptile Park has been keeping a heartwarming secret—and now it’s time to share it with the world!
Chilli the dingo, a first-time mum, has given birth to three healthy and absolutely adorable puppies. The exciting arrival was captured on camera thanks to a discreet monitoring setup placed inside Chilli’s specially prepared nesting den. What makes this birth even more remarkable is the touching involvement of Bandit, the proud first-time dad, who gently assisted Chilli during the birth—licking the head of the very first pup as it entered the world. You can watch the special moment here!
Keepers had suspected that Chilli might be pregnant after noticing subtle changes in her behaviour. A veterinary check confirmed the joyful news: she was expecting! From that moment, the team at the Australian Reptile Park leapt into action, preparing a cozy, stress-free environment to support Chilli through the final weeks of her pregnancy.
Then, last Tuesday morning, the moment finally arrived.
Keeper Seleena De Gelder was doing a routine camera check when she noticed something amazing: two puppies had already been born! She quickly tuned in to the live feed and was honoured to witness the third puppy being born in real time. All of this rare and beautiful footage is now available to watch on the Australian Reptile Park’s YouTube channel.
“All the births were perfect. Everything went smoothly,” said Keeper Seleena. “Bandit, the proud dad, even helped with the first birth—licking the puppy’s head as it came out. It was such a beautiful moment. Chilli is the sweetest little girl, and watching her become a mum has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I’m just so proud of her.”
Chilli and Bandit are named after the beloved parents in the children’s TV series Bluey, and true to their namesakes, they’ve already shown themselves to be wonderful parents. As for the three tiny pups, their names are yet to be decided—but one thing’s for sure: they’ve already captured the hearts of everyone at the Park.
While these dingo pups are undeniably adorable, they also play a vital role as ambassadors for their species. Their presence allows the Australian Reptile Park to educate the public about the crucial role dingoes play in Australia’s ecosystems—and the serious threats they face in the wild.
“As cute as the puppies are, they play a crucial role in raising species awareness,” Seleena explains. “The dingo plays a very important role in the Australian ecosystem, but dingoes are being blasted, baited, tracked, shot, and hunted in the wild because of their perceived damage to agriculture. However, killing dingoes makes way for feral foxes and cats to continuously increase the rate of mammal extinction.”
In the coming weeks, visitors to the Australian Reptile Park may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the new dingo family bonding in their yard. The pups will be spending time nestled safely in their den, exploring under the watchful eyes of Chilli and Bandit.
For those following along from home, we will be sharing regular updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and even more adorable footage across our social media channels—so stay tuned!
Whether you're a long-time dingo lover or just discovering their charm, these three pups are sure to brighten your day and deepen your appreciation for one of Australia’s most misunderstood native animals.
