Cries In The Dark: Dingo Attacks

[Lord Lucan]

I have made no particular effort to study or follow news of dingoes and their propensity for attacks on humans, but whenever I hear or read of another one having occured, I immediately think 'Fraser Island?'—and I couldn't even locate that place on a map!

Is there no clamour to take steps to deal with the issues.

Note, that does not necessarily mean a cull.

From the Queensland Department of Environment & Science:

K'gari (Fraser Island), Great Sandy National Park​

People-dingo interactions

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/kgari-fraser/about/wongari-dingoes/dingo-interactions

 

[Yithian]

From the Queensland Department of Environment & Science:

K'gari (Fraser Island), Great Sandy National Park​

People-dingo interactions

https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/kgari-fraser/about/wongari-dingoes/dingo-interactions

Interesting material (and gory photographs):

How does a dingo become a 'high-risk' dingo?

The sequence of events leading to an attack by a dingo can be summarised as:

Attraction > Habituation > Interaction > Aggression

Attraction happens when people leave food out. Dingoes are attracted to food smells, drinks, rubbish and odd things like sweets, cooking oil, tea towels, dish cloths and toiletries.

Habituation means that a dingo has lost its natural fear of humans, ignores threats and comes close to people. Habituated dingoes expect food from everyone. Pups of habituated dingoes may not be taught to hunt properly.

Negative interaction comes about, when people try to encourage dingoes to come closer or feed them and the dingoes try to dominate or steal food by aggression.

Aggression occurs when people get involved with dingoes that are feeding, roaming or being aggressive. Dingoes—individuals or as a small pack—display aggression when they actively stalk or circle people, lunge at them, nip or bite savagely. Dingoes are capable of killing people.

Some dingoes are dangerous because people have fed and encouraged them to get a good photograph or to try to interact with them. When dingoes are fed or scavenge rubbish, they often lose their hunting skills and start to depend on scraps and hand-outs. They soon expect food from everybody and become habituated; that is, they lose their natural fear of humans and ignore threats which usually would chase them off. Habituated dingoes increasingly visit camps, picnic areas, resorts and residences; follow people in the hope for a hand-out; and sometimes tear open tents looking for easy food.

However, positive and neutral interactions happen most times. A positive interaction for people and dingoes is when dingoes shy away from people, cars and buses.

In neutral interactions dingoes may wander around people, but keep their distance and walk away, because people have not enticed them to come close with offers of food or playful encouragement.

Interfering with natural behaviour

Pups from habituated dingoes are often not taught to hunt effectively; instead they grow up scavenging from these areas. They are no longer wary of people and also become aggressive—on one occasion, a dingo tragically killed a nine year old child.

In the early stages of habituation, dingoes just become annoying. They hang around camps, picnic areas or people fishing on the beach. They will snatch a bit of fish or food and run away, only to return again for another try. These dingoes can become aggressive very quickly and should be reported to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers as soon as possible, so their behaviour can be monitored and any possible associated risks can be reduced or avoided through management options such as temporarily closing camping areas or increasing visitor education in that area.

Dingoes learn quickly and bad habits are hard to break. One episode of feeding or successful scavenging may quickly lead to another episode of searching for ‘easy food’. With each successful find, close to camps, fishing groups or houses, dingoes become less wary of humans and soon will try to snatch food right off a table or from an unsecured vehicle. They can become aggressive if people try to stop them. Children are particularly vulnerable because they are small and appear submissive to the dingo.

Dingoes have bitten visitors, occasionally quite severely, and are capable of killing people. These dingoes are euthanised—sadly, as a result of habits learnt from people.

Source
https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/...ri-dingoes/dingo-faqs#how_does_a_dingo_become

 

[ramonmercado]

I wonder if it's the other way around. Rather than the dingo trying to drown the child, whether the dingo itself was drowning and trying to climb onto the nearest object to get out of the water?

My big dog loved water and would swim anywhere, but sometimes if he swam with me in a river somewhere, when he got tired he would attempt to exit the water by climbing onto my head. I got some very impressive scratches, although he never bit.

Maybe but I fear that Aussies now have to watch out for dingoes as well as crocs and sharks when they go into the water.

 

[catseye]

Interesting material (and gory photographs):

How does a dingo become a 'high-risk' dingo?

The sequence of events leading to an attack by a dingo can be summarised as:

Attraction > Habituation > Interaction > Aggression

Attraction happens when people leave food out. Dingoes are attracted to food smells, drinks, rubbish and odd things like sweets, cooking oil, tea towels, dish cloths and toiletries.

Habituation means that a dingo has lost its natural fear of humans, ignores threats and comes close to people. Habituated dingoes expect food from everyone. Pups of habituated dingoes may not be taught to hunt properly.

Negative interaction comes about, when people try to encourage dingoes to come closer or feed them and the dingoes try to dominate or steal food by aggression.

Aggression occurs when people get involved with dingoes that are feeding, roaming or being aggressive. Dingoes—individuals or as a small pack—display aggression when they actively stalk or circle people, lunge at them, nip or bite savagely. Dingoes are capable of killing people.

Some dingoes are dangerous because people have fed and encouraged them to get a good photograph or to try to interact with them. When dingoes are fed or scavenge rubbish, they often lose their hunting skills and start to depend on scraps and hand-outs. They soon expect food from everybody and become habituated; that is, they lose their natural fear of humans and ignore threats which usually would chase them off. Habituated dingoes increasingly visit camps, picnic areas, resorts and residences; follow people in the hope for a hand-out; and sometimes tear open tents looking for easy food.

However, positive and neutral interactions happen most times. A positive interaction for people and dingoes is when dingoes shy away from people, cars and buses.

In neutral interactions dingoes may wander around people, but keep their distance and walk away, because people have not enticed them to come close with offers of food or playful encouragement.

Interfering with natural behaviour

Pups from habituated dingoes are often not taught to hunt effectively; instead they grow up scavenging from these areas. They are no longer wary of people and also become aggressive—on one occasion, a dingo tragically killed a nine year old child.

In the early stages of habituation, dingoes just become annoying. They hang around camps, picnic areas or people fishing on the beach. They will snatch a bit of fish or food and run away, only to return again for another try. These dingoes can become aggressive very quickly and should be reported to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers as soon as possible, so their behaviour can be monitored and any possible associated risks can be reduced or avoided through management options such as temporarily closing camping areas or increasing visitor education in that area.

Dingoes learn quickly and bad habits are hard to break. One episode of feeding or successful scavenging may quickly lead to another episode of searching for ‘easy food’. With each successful find, close to camps, fishing groups or houses, dingoes become less wary of humans and soon will try to snatch food right off a table or from an unsecured vehicle. They can become aggressive if people try to stop them. Children are particularly vulnerable because they are small and appear submissive to the dingo.

Dingoes have bitten visitors, occasionally quite severely, and are capable of killing people. These dingoes are euthanised—sadly, as a result of habits learnt from people.

Source
https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/...ri-dingoes/dingo-faqs#how_does_a_dingo_become

This is interesting and maybe should be correlated with the 'Domestication of Dogs' thread, because there seems to be contraindications to feeding wild dingoes, and yet this must be precisely how we started out domesticating wolves...

 

[Mungoman]

I have made no particular effort to study or follow news of dingoes and their propensity for attacks on humans, but whenever I hear or read of another one having occured, I immediately think 'Fraser Island?'—and I couldn't even locate that place on a map!

Is there no clamour to take steps to deal with the issues.

Note, that does not necessarily mean a cull.

I reckon that it boils down to territory Yithian. When we were domesticating the early Canid, we brought them into our territory, but suffered their predations if we entered theirs in insufficient numbers. Fair do's. The Dingo (Canis lupus dingo) on Frazer Island (K'gari) is in no way domesticated

The dingo gains a lot of sustenance from the intertidal area in the form of fish, birds, and other air breathing animals, and mankind likes to park and camp there, leaving food scraps and other rubbish.

The Dingo scavenges and will see a small child as fair game...and that's it really.

It's also a political issue with the Fraser Island Dingo being the purest strain of Dingo, and it being A Moeity for the Butchulla Nation, who lived on K'gari before colonisation/dispossession.

It would be easier to have people who want to go to The Island to sign a Caveat rather than a prohibiting or culling action.

Opinions will and do differ.

 

[Mungoman]

Maybe but I fear that Aussies now have to watch out for dingoes as well as crocs and sharks when they go into the water.

And the bullrouts, stargazers, seasnakes, Box fish, The Irukandji. Best not to think about it eh...

 

[Lord Lucan]

And the bullrouts, stargazers, seasnakes, Box fish, The Irukandji. Best not to think about it eh...

Not to forget the blue ringed octopus of which we've had a few recent posts about.

 

[Kondoru]

Out of interest how does this compare with other places that have feral dogs?

 

[Mungoman]

Out of interest how does this compare with other places that have feral dogs?

A really good question K.

There are jackals, and coyotes, and African wild dogs that I know of, and we're taught that these are not to be trusted...but personally, knowing how dogs go feral and band together in the Bush here, I can't trust more than two dogs running wild together.

It's their World - isn't it...

 

[maximus otter]

Some dingoes are dangerous because people have fed and encouraged them. When dingoes are fed or scavenge rubbish, they often lose their hunting skills and start to depend on scraps and hand-outs. They soon expect food from everybody…

Pups from habituated dingoes are often not taught to hunt effectively; instead they grow up scavenging. They are no longer wary of people and also become aggressive…

Thank goodness people don’t behave like this, eh?

maximus otter

 

[catseye]

Out of interest how does this compare with other places that have feral dogs?

Interesting and I'd also like to see what the numbers of dog attacks were in the days when people just used to let their dogs out all day to roam the streets. I remember when I was young that there would be groups of dogs who had banded together just wandering about. I know these were domestic dogs, but so are the dogs that are the cause of most dog attacks nowadays, which tend to be within people's homes.

We used to keep away from the loose dogs, there always seemed to be at least one Alsatian and a couple of mongrels, with a bunch of terriers tagging along. As, back in those days, nobody thought twice about toddlers playing outside or leaving babies in prams outside shops - was there a larger number of random dog attacks? Although they probably just went 'dad, that dog bit me!' Clip around ear 'what are you doing mucking about with those dogs, come inside and eat your tea!'

 

[Kondoru]

That was me.

 

[maximus otter]

That was me.

You need to use the Reply function: We have no idea about what you're responding to.

maximus otter

 

[Kondoru]

Interesting and I'd also like to see what the numbers of dog attacks were in the days when people just used to let their dogs out all day to roam the streets. I remember when I was young that there would be groups of dogs who had banded together just wandering about. I know these were domestic dogs, but so are the dogs that are the cause of most dog attacks nowadays, which tend to be within people's homes.

We used to keep away from the loose dogs, there always seemed to be at least one Alsatian and a couple of mongrels, with a bunch of terriers tagging along. As, back in those days, nobody thought twice about toddlers playing outside or leaving babies in prams outside shops - was there a larger number of random dog attacks? Although they probably just went 'dad, that dog bit me!' Clip around ear 'what are you doing mucking about with those dogs, come inside and eat your tea!'

Ouch.

 

[skinny]

 

[Mungoman]

Nice looking Dingos skinny - in good nick too...I wonder who put the collar on, and then tied him up?

And of course he'd chew through that in seconds flat - wouldn't he...

 

[Mungoman]

Thank goodness people don’t behave like this, eh?

maximus otter

Too true mate!

 

[ramonmercado]

Vid at link.

Dingo bites tourist sunbathing in Australia​

New video shows the moment a French woman was attacked by a dingo at a beach in K’gari, Australia.

The Queensland Department of Environment and Science says the animal was "humanely euthanised" after being involved in a number of "high-risk" incidents.

K'gari Island in Queensland is home to some 200 wild dingoes. There are strict rules against feeding them with heavy fines for offenders.

Another dingo was euthanised earlier this month after months of attacks on the island.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-australia-65994828

 

[Mythopoeika]

Vid at link.

Dingo bites tourist sunbathing in Australia​

New video shows the moment a French woman was attacked by a dingo at a beach in K’gari, Australia.

The Queensland Department of Environment and Science says the animal was "humanely euthanised" after being involved in a number of "high-risk" incidents.

K'gari Island in Queensland is home to some 200 wild dingoes. There are strict rules against feeding them with heavy fines for offenders.

Another dingo was euthanised earlier this month after months of attacks on the island.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-australia-65994828

Just a nip on the bum - not a proper bite.

 

[Mungoman]

Just a nip on the bum - not a proper bite.

It was just a nip on the cheek but that just indicates that It'd do the same to any other human - with the smaller being the easier game.

Tourists think that they're dogs and treat them as such.

I wish they wouldn't.

 

[ramonmercado]

A pack attack this time.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A pack of dingoes drove a woman who was jogging into the surf and attacked her in the latest clash between native dogs and humans on a popular Australian island, sparking new warnings Tuesday to visitors venturing out.

The 24-year-old woman was attacked by three or four dingoes on Monday while she was jogging on a beach at Queensland state’s K’gari, the world’s largest sand island formerly known as Fraser Island, officials said.

The World Heritage-listed national park is home to some of Australia’s purest dingoes, which are also known by their Indigenous name wongari, because domestic dogs have long been banned. Tourists returned to the island after pandemic restrictions were lifted, and have found the dingoes have become less wary of humans. That’s raised the danger to both species, wildlife ranger Linda Behrendorff said.

Two passersby rescued the woman from the dingoes after they chased her into the surf, using the same hunting technique they use for larger prey such as wallabies, Behrendorff said.

The victim was flown by helicopter to Hervey Bay Hospital on the mainland in a stable condition suffering multiple bite wounds to her limbs and torso, the Queensland Ambulance Service said.

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation...lian-island-beach-and-leave-her-hospitalised/

 

[catseye]

A pack attack this time.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A pack of dingoes drove a woman who was jogging into the surf and attacked her in the latest clash between native dogs and humans on a popular Australian island, sparking new warnings Tuesday to visitors venturing out.

The 24-year-old woman was attacked by three or four dingoes on Monday while she was jogging on a beach at Queensland state’s K’gari, the world’s largest sand island formerly known as Fraser Island, officials said.

The World Heritage-listed national park is home to some of Australia’s purest dingoes, which are also known by their Indigenous name wongari, because domestic dogs have long been banned. Tourists returned to the island after pandemic restrictions were lifted, and have found the dingoes have become less wary of humans. That’s raised the danger to both species, wildlife ranger Linda Behrendorff said.

Two passersby rescued the woman from the dingoes after they chased her into the surf, using the same hunting technique they use for larger prey such as wallabies, Behrendorff said.

The victim was flown by helicopter to Hervey Bay Hospital on the mainland in a stable condition suffering multiple bite wounds to her limbs and torso, the Queensland Ambulance Service said.

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation...lian-island-beach-and-leave-her-hospitalised/

I'd guess that these being dingoes is fairly academic. If it had been a pack of dogs the result would have been the same.

 

[Mungoman]

I'd guess that these being dingoes is fairly academic. If it had been a pack of dogs the result would have been the same.

Yes.

One thing though - The woman was jogging, and any dog will want to chase someone who is moving faster than a walk - or am I generalising on that...

Anyway. Dingoes in a pack will give chase if their subject of interest seems to be eluding them.

Unfortunately, this will continue as long as humans and dingoes mingle on K'gari together.

 

[Yithian]

Unfortunately, this will continue as long as humans and dingoes mingle on K'gari together.

A cull is the only solution.

It's harsh, but with time these people's families will come to accept the wisdom of the decision.

 

[Kondoru]

Running with wild dogs present is asking to be treated as prey.

 

[Lord Lucan]

Furthermore to the latest story...

K’gari dingo destroyed after attacking jogger​

A dingo responsible for mauling a female jogger on K’gari had “lost its wariness of people” and has been killed - now authorities say “selfies” may be to blame.

A dingo believed to be responsible for mauling a female jogger on K’gari earlier this week was killed by authorities on Wednesday afternoon.
In a statement, the department investigating the attack believes the animal “had lost its natural wariness of people” due to human behaviour.
The male dingo is understood to be one of four that attacked Brisbane woman Sarah Peet on the Island’s Orchid Beach on Monday morning, forcing her to run into the ocean, where a bystander was able to save her.
Ms Peet, 23, was left with serious injuries after being bitten 30 times.
On Wednesday evening, a Queensland Department of Environment spokesperson said that the dingo had been captured and “humanely euthanised”.

https://www.news.com.au/national/qu...r/news-story/4f2e0dbb1850304252769954cb7163f8

 

[Mungoman]

The other thing of note concerning this attack is that there are lotsa little dingoes in dens all over the Island...and it's Dads job to feed Mum.

Dingoes breed once a year between the months of March and June. The female's gestation period is 63 days, resulting in a litter of four to six pups.

 

[Mungoman]

Maybe...we could close K'gari to tourists for that specific period?

 

[hunck]

Tourists fined for dingo selfies as rangers warn of rising wild dog attacks​

Two tourists who snapped selfies with dingoes have been fined more than $1,500 each for taking the “extremely dangerous decision” to interact with the native wild dogs following a recent spate of ferocious attacks, Australian authorities said.

In a statement Friday, Queensland Department of Environment and Science compliance manager Mike Devery said the two women were lucky not to be attacked in the separate incidents on the popular tourist island of K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island.

An image provided by the department showed an unnamed New South Wales woman, 29, laying down next to a pack of sleeping dingo pups. “She was lucky the mother of the pups wasn’t nearby,” Devery said.

The other tourist, a 25-year-old Queensland woman, appeared in a selfie video posted to social media that showed her with a growling dingo, “which was clearly exhibiting dominance-testing behaviour,” he said.

“It is not playful behaviour. Wongari are wild animals and need to be treated as such, and the woman is lucky the situation did not escalate,” he added, referring to dingoes by their indigenous name.

 

[Mythopoeika]

View attachment 68000

Looks like they ripped off her face.