A male dingo attacked a young girl on Queensland’s K’gari, also known as Fraser Island, just a week after authorities launched a safety blitz targeting holidaymakers.
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) reported that the nine-year-old girl was bitten on the leg while wading in shallow water at Yidney beachfront on Wednesday afternoon.
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According to Senior ranger Linda Behrendorff, the dingo approached the girl and bit her while she was crouched down.
“The dingo has taken that opportunity to run in at speed,” Behrendorff said.
“Thankfully there were enough people around and witnesses that came in and intervened and yelled.”
The QPWS further revealed that the girl suffered minor wounds and was promptly transported to the island’s ambulance station before being taken to the mainland for further medical assessment.
Fortunately, she is reported to be in stable condition.
Rangers are currently conducting investigations and have identified the dingo responsible for the attack.
Behrendorff said there had been ongoing discussions with upper management, traditional owners of K’gari (the Butchulla people), and other stakeholders regarding potential management strategies for the dingo involved.
A GPS collar for the involved dingo may be applied for further monitoring and enhanced safety measures.
This incident marks the 11th high-risk incident involving dingoes on Fraser Island this year alone.
In 2023, over 168 threatening or high-risk dingo incidents were recorded on the island.
In response to the recent surge in dingo-related incidents, the Queensland government launched a public education campaign last week to promote dingo safety.
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