Be Dingo-safe on Fraser Island
Dingoes on Fraser Island?
Yes, there are wild dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) on Fraser Island.
If fact, K’gari has some of the purest breeds of dingo in the world. This is because the isolation and protective nature of the island makes interbreeding with domestic dogs rare.
Are Dingoes on Fraser Island Dangerous?
Potentially Yes. If you have young children or you are unaware of them near you. They can be deadly.
There has also been many publicised attacks and tragically the death of a young boy on the island many years ago.
You definitely need to know how to protect yourself and your family from a dingo attack on Fraser Island.
Be Dingo-Aware On Fraser
- Keep kids close
- Never feed or coax a dingo to come close
- Lock up your food and belongings
- Secure your waste and rubbish
- Bury fish offal deep
- Secure bait bags and buckets
- Report any threatening dingo behaviour
As cute and friendly as they look they are very cunning, very fast and can be very nasty.
Find about Other Fraser Island Dangers Here
How Many Dingoes On Fraser Island?
It’s hard to know the exact dingo population on the island. However, it is estimated by Parks Rangers over 150 dingoes inhabit Fraser Island.
The wild dingoes rove all around the island to mate and hunt for food.
Often they look thin and emancipated but this is their natural lean appearance.
They’re not starving so don’t feed them as this only encourages interaction and can result in an attack.
Small children are vulnerable and are more likely to be seen as prey in the dingoes eyes.
Attacks By Dingoes Are Common
Dingoes can appear out of nowhere and without warning. They can outrun adults easily.
When children run and scream this behaviour only excites them and as a result children are often the victim of many attacks.
We have had a few scary encounters ourselves, often been stalked on our beach walks and just recently chased into waist deep water trying to escape from two of them.
The private holiday homes on Fraser seem to be a popular scavenging route. They know when rubbish bins are full and the smell of steak cooking on the BBQ makes a visit even more enticing.
Keep Your Children Dingo-Safe
It is highly important to teach your children dingo safety rules if you’re visiting Fraser Island. This may just save your child from an attack.
- Warn your children dingoes are different. They’re not pet dogs. They’re wild animals like lions and they are natural hunters.
- Never try to feed a dingo.
- Children need to stay close enough to parents to see them and hear them at all times. NO wandering away especially alone.
What To Do If Attacked By A Dingo
- If you see a dingo or you are being stalked. You need to Stop. Still and stand you ground.
- DO NOT RUN !!! Dingoes can easily outrun humans, they will chase and bite at legs and buttocks and consequently make you fall to the ground
- Stand tall, face the dingo and outstretch arms to look larger.
- If in a group, hold hands, stay close and yell!
- If attacked defend aggressively. Yell and scream at them, pick up a stick or throw an object. For groups of children always stay together.
- If children feel threatened or are being watched by a dingo take note of identifying features such as colour of ear tag, which ear the tag is in ( left male right female) fur patterns and colours or scars from injuries.
- Report any threatening behaviour by a dingo to the local rangers office or police.
Fraser Island Dingoes
Dingoes are also naturally scared of humans and they need to know that were are the dominant species.
Dingoes in their natural environment are hunters.
They are intelligent mammals and know that humans present great opportunity for an easy food supply.
Feeding them encourages scavenging behaviours that are unnatural and effect the traditional hunting skills that they teach their pups.
This is why the avoidance of feeding them is so important. Therefore ensure that you lock away your food, secure rubbish and close ice boxes.
Dingoes have also been known to rip open tents that have strong odours from clothes or other belongings.
Consequently with humans inadvertently or intentionally feeding dingoes they have become scavengers.
They rely on a quick and easy meals from bins and visitors camp sites. Furthermore they are a pack animal and roam far and wide in the search for food.
Just like any other wild animal, wolves, hyenas and lions only the fittest and strongest survive.
Dingoes On Fraser Are Protected
Like all the other wildlife on Fraser Island the dingoes are protected. It is an offence to feed or make food easily available to them.
You are not allowed to intentionally attract or disturb a dingo anywhere on the island whether on private or public land.
Penalties do apply and people are encouraged to report people that disobey and do the wrong thing.
Learn more about the Dingoes on the National Parks Service website.
Dingo Safety Tips – Keep Your Family Safe
Here is a few Dingo safety tips to keep yourself and your family safe
- If you spot a Dingo while driving and want to take a photo, stay in your vehicle. Do not drive at them or get too close
- Do not feed them or intentionally attract them closer. It is illegal, you can be reported by someone and heavily fined
- If you are camping ensure that all your food and rubbish is securely stowed away. Nothing worse than finding they have ripped open your bags of rubbish and eaten all the fresh bread and biscuits you left out on the camp table
- Always keep an eye on your kids, especially at the sand dunes. They are attracted to the delightful screams of children playing. They are cunning, elusive and fast
- Dingoes have an amazing sense of smell and a quick pee in the sand does attract them. They do come running and I have experienced this first hand
- If you like to go for morning walks, carry a stick or umbrella or something to scare them with if they approach too close. Dingoes love to walk in the coolness of the morning. If they smell or see you they will stalk you. You may only see one but there will be others watching and following you
- Teach the dingo safety rules to your children
In conclusion be aware, be safe and enjoy your Fraser Island holiday.