A pack of dingoes drove a woman who was jogging into the surf and attacked her in the latest clash between native dogs and humans on a popular Australian island, sparking new warnings Tuesday to visitors venturing out.
The 24-year-old woman was attacked by three or four dingoes on Monday while she was jogging on a beach at Queensland stateB次元官网网址檚 KB次元官网网址檊ari, the worldB次元官网网址檚 largest sand island formerly known as Fraser Island, officials said.
The World Heritage-listed national park is home to some of AustraliaB次元官网网址檚 purest dingoes, which are also known by their Indigenous name wongari, because domestic dogs have long been banned. Tourists returned to the island after pandemic restrictions were lifted, and have found the dingoes have become less wary of humans. ThatB次元官网网址檚 raised the danger to both species, wildlife ranger Linda Behrendorff said.
Two passersby rescued the woman from the dingoes after they chased her into the surf, using the same hunting technique they use for larger prey such as wallabies, Behrendorff said.
The victim was flown by helicopter to Hervey Bay Hospital on the mainland in a stable condition suffering multiple bite wounds to her limbs and torso, the Queensland Ambulance Service said.
Park authorities are considering whether to destroy the dingo pack, which includes one that had been collared because of previous B次元官网网址渉igh risk behaviorB次元官网网址� toward humans, Behrendorff said.
A dingo last month became the first to be destroyed on the island since 2019 after it attacked a 7-year-old boy and nipped a 42-year-old French tourist on the buttocks. Dingoes are a protected species.
Visitors to the island are warned to beware of dingoes. Tourists are advised not to run or jog outside fenced areas, to keep children within armB次元官网网址檚 reach, to walk with a stick and to avoid providing dingoes with food. Dingoes mostly approach humans for food.
The situation would be far safer without touristsB次元官网网址� need for selfies with wildlife to post on social media, Behrendorff said.
B次元官网网址淭hose people are putting themselves at risk and theyB次元官网网址檙e putting that animal at risk by calling them over to get a selfish shot in order to post that in a situation that makes themselves look like a big hero,B次元官网网址� Behrendorff said. B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 understand the risks that theyB次元官网网址檝e put themselves and even that animal into.B次元官网网址�
She cited a recent example of a man posting a photograph of him handfeeding a dingo while a toddler was beside him.
B次元官网网址淲e spend most of our time trying to manage people. Dingoes will do what dingoes do. Dingoes are easy to work out,B次元官网网址� Behrendorff said.
Darren Blake, a member of the Butchulla Aboriginal Corp. which represents KB次元官网网址檊ariB次元官网网址檚 traditional owners, said visitors needed to understand that dingoes were far different from domestic dogs.
B次元官网网址淢y heart goes out to the young lady and hopefully this hits home for everybody else,B次元官网网址� Blake said, referring to the victim of MondayB次元官网网址檚 attack.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e not puppy dogs. TheyB次元官网网址檙e wild, apex predators. Give them that respect,B次元官网网址� Blake added.
George Seymour, mayor of the local Fraser Coast Regional Council, said there seemed to have been more attacks on the island in the last two years than there had been in the previous decade.
B次元官网网址淪omething different is happening over the past two years,B次元官网网址� Seymour said, referring to the frequency on dingo interactions with people.
The change was B次元官网网址渧ery, very concerning because itB次元官网网址檚 extremely terrifying to be attacked by wildlife,B次元官网网址� Seymour added.
