Hungry dingoes in Central Australia are becoming bolder as they seek out food sources … and their presence is being felt in camping areas.
A camper at Redbank Gorge in the West Macdonnell National Park has called for action after a dingo ripped into her tent and ate her fruit cake and muesli.
Tourist Louise Maher told Alice Springs ABC that bit through sealed plastic containers to get to the food and says dingo warning signs should be erected.
Ms Maher and her partner had just returned from a bush walk through Ormiston Gorge west of Alice Springs when they saw containers and food packets strewn around the campsite.
“We looked inside the tent and found a hole in the netting like it had been clawed,” Ms Maher told the ABC. “And there was a hole like an exit on the other side which it had gone out dragging things with it,”
The dingo was still in the area and the couple watched it wander on top of a barbecue at the camping area.
Acting director of Central Australian Parks Chris Day said rangers had now put up warning signs about the dingo, but sadly it would now have to be destroyed.
Mr Day said even securing food inside a tent was not safe as the current scarcity of food sources in Central Australia meant dingoes were desperate.
Have you noticed dingoes getting bolder? Do they make you nervous? Comment below.
They have been doing that on Fraser Island for as long as I can remember that is why you should leave no food in your tent and we used to leave our tent open so they could walk in and out, we spent many holidays there. You are in their domain so learn to adjust to the conditions, common sense goes a long way.. We learn’t to live with it not have the animals destroyed they are hungry and people feeding them are causing this problem.
Hi all…we are happy caravaners on the far eastern coast of South Africa, a place Called Richards Bay….we got a huge problems with Vervet monkeys, they raid the caravans and tents regularly and any food, locked up or lying around gets taken. They also are ddestractive, break things and steal mobile phones, TV remotes and eyeware. They also know how to unscrew bottle tops and love the occasional alcoholic drink! One gets very annoyed with them, but it’s their home territory and we have to accept it and adapt. They are protected by law in this country. Wishing all of you happy camping.
It’s good to be aware of these sort of going on, like the crocodile in Northern River, there should be signs warning people
I cannot believe the shortsighted approach of the NT government in having these animals destroyed!! They are only doing what their instinct tells them to do when they are hungry…finding food!! We are trespassing in their domain and need to take precautions accordingly. Keep using this sort of ‘solution’ and you will find a picture of the dingo right next to one of the Tasmanian Tiger!
We were at Redbank Gorge and saw what was probably the same dingo. It was very quiet and we were only about five feet from it and it was not scared at all. I do not think the dingo should be destroyed as after all it is only in its own habitat.
Fruit cake, muesli …. the NT dingo’s must have had a change of diet! (sic)