Another young child has been bitten by a dingo on Fraser Island (K’Gari) … the second already this year.
The latest victim, a girl under the age of 10, was apparently swimming near adults at Hook Point on the southern end of the island when a dingo approached her.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Rangers said she was bitten multiple times on the thigh and buttocks and was transported back to the mainland.
The ABC reports the child was taken to Gympie Hospital for treatment following the attack.
A QAS spokesperson said she had suffered ‘significant’ lacerations.
Rangers are working to identify the dingo involved in the attack.
The dingo responsible for an attack on a young boy on Fraser Island last year. PIC: Picture: Queensland Department of Environment and Science
It comes after a seven-year-old girl was bitten at the same location a week earlier.
The ABC reports that, last year, there were more than 160 threatening or high-risk incidents between humans and the animals, causing authorities to euthanise three dingoes.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers have urged all visitors to K’gari to keep children within arm’s reach and to stay inside fenced areas where possible.
The ABC reports that the Queensland government is creating 13 new dingo ranger positions on the island, and will be increasing the amount of dingo safety messaging placed at strategic locations on the island and given to tourists when they are purchasing camping permits.
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The latest news is that the dingo responsible was caught and has been put down. That makes three in recent times.
If it keeps going at that rate then the dingo problem will take care of itself in a few more years!