A wongari involved in an attack on a 23-year-old woman on 17 July on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) has been captured and humanely euthanised.
Euthanising a high-risk dingo is always a last resort, and the tough decision by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) was supported by the Island’s traditional owners, the Butchulla people.
The wongari (dingo) has been responsible for recent threatening and biting incidents, including the hospitalisation of a six-year-old girl and the 23-year-old woman.
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service extends its sympathies to the woman and hope she makes a speedy recovery, and we would like to thank the people who came to her aid.
The animal is around two-years-old, and when it was collared in April it weighed more than 17kg, which is heavy for a wongari and a clear indication that it has been fed.
It was also clear from its behaviour that it had become habituated, either by being fed or from people interacting with it for videos and selfies.
The animal had lost its natural wariness of people, and entering campsites or loitering around people is not normal dingo behaviour.
The wongari has been wearing a tracking collar since April, which has allowed QPWS rangers to track the animal and its behaviour, as well as monitoring human behaviour around it.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and rangers are attempting to identify the other wongari involved.
Should the other animals be identified, we will consider our management options.
People on the island must follow Be Dingo-safe! messaging to reduce the risk of a negative interaction.
Visitors to K’gari (Fraser Island) are reminded to Be dingo-safe! at all times:
- Always stay close (within arm’s reach) of children and young teenagers
- Always walk in groups
- Always walk with a stick
- Camp in fenced areas where possible
- Do not run. Running or jogging can trigger a negative dingo interaction
- Never feed or encourage dingoes
- Lock up food stores and iceboxes (even on a boat)
- Never store food or food containers in tents, and
- Secure all rubbish, fish and bait.
