A terrifying dingo attack on Fraser Island has forced parks rangers there to step up patrols on the island, and to once again emphasise the importance of following safety advice.
A 23-year-old German man was badly bitten by two dingoes after leaving his campsite and falling asleep on a track. The man had been staying with a group staying at the K’Gari Education Centre, north of Happy Valley. He suffered serious injuries to his legs, arms and head and was flown to a Hervey Bay hospital in a stable condition. “This incident serves as an ongoing reminder that dingoes are wild animals and need to be treated as such,” said Ross Belcher, from the Department of National Parks. “The way to avoid such incidents is for all people to follow the department’s dingo safety messages.”
Fraser Island Defenders Organisation spokesman John Sinclair echoed the warning. “People going to Fraser Island should know to carry a walking stick to protect themselves in case dingoes attack and to travel in groups or pairs,” he told the Brisbane Courier-Mail. “People need to take responsibility for themselves and understand dingoes are predators, they are not domestic dogs.”
Scientists are reviewing dingo management on Fraser Island for the Queensland Government. The previous state government had promised to cull some of the animals.
