A dingo that attacked a woman on Fraser Island earlier this week has been destroyed.
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) said the dingo, which was identified from its ear tag, had a history of negative interaction with humans.
“Public safety is paramount and, in accordance with the Fraser Island Dingo Management Strategy, humane destruction is required when habituated dingoes become aggressive and dangerous towards people,” said a QPWS spokesperson.
The attack happened at Eurong on Monday when a 29-year-old woman was bitten on the arm.
The president of the Fraser Island Association, David Anderson, was one of the first on the scene.
“She received a puncture wound on the inside of her left bicep and a very large laceration on the outside with a piece of flesh actually torn out,” Mr Anderson told the ABC. “She turned and a dingo was approaching her and she panicked and ran away from it and into the water but she tripped in the shallows and the dingo latched on to her left upper arm … she managed to stand up screaming and then the dingo apparently let go.”
The woman was treated by ambulance officers on the island and transferred to Hervey Bay Hospital.
Fraser Island campers, day visitors and residents are being urged to be aware of, and follow, Be Dingo Safe information:
Comment below
This is another tragic incident that could have easily been avoided if the woman had acted appropriately. It is instilled in visitors not to run, which she did, this excites the animal who then gives chase, she fell over and the dingo grabbed her arm. The result is a person is injured and a dingo is destroyed. It is now breeding season on the Island and the animals are agitated, please, if you don’t know how to interact with the wildlife, don’t go to the Island.
It is a pity that the dingo could not be removed without destroying it. Both the woman and the dingo had a normal reaction to each other.
Removed to where exactly? I don’t want anymore of them here harassing my dogs and sheep. Do you want them at your home?
you are warned about Dingo’s before you go, we always left our tent open so they could walk in and out of it , and no food in or around it, we have had numerous 3 and 4 week holidays on Fraser Is and never had a problem at any time.
It is a shame the woman got bitten but thwn it must be remembered that the Australian Dingo is our own “Native Wolf” and needs protection from humans invading their territory! Perhaps there should be fewer visitors to Fraser Island, or else more notice should be taken of the warning signs! After all, if you were a tourist in the African Jungle would you not be aware of the dangers if you encountered a lion or elephant or rhino, etc. in the wild??!!