Dingo that attacked two children and a man on K'gari is euthanized to protect the public – but the move has sparked outrage among animal lovers
A dingo that attacked two children and a man on Queensland's K'gari Island in recent weeks has been euthanized.
Queensland's Department of Environment, Science and Innovation said the dingo was humanely euthanized on Tuesday afternoon to protect the public.
“The tagged dingo has exhibited increasingly dangerous behavior, including two separate attacks in recent weeks on young children in the Hook Point area,” the department said in a statement.
'Due to the escalation in the animal's behaviour, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) has made the difficult decision to euthanise the dingo.'
However, the move was criticized by some Australians, who claimed it was the responsibility of visitors to stay away from the wildlife.
A dingo that attacked two children and a man on Queensland's K'gari Island in recent weeks has been euthanized – sparking outrage among animal lovers
Queensland's Department of Environment, Science and Innovation said the dingo was humanely euthanized at K'gai on Tuesday afternoon (pictured)
“I have a part dingo dog, this is sad,” one man wrote.
'People should just stay away from it.'
'Such a pity. This is their home,” a second agreed.
“Just wrong, they are hungry looking for food,” said a third.
'How about we do this to people too?' a fourth wrote.
Euthanizing a dingo was a last resort and the decision was in line with the Fraser Island Dingo Conservation and Risk Management Strategy, QPWS said.
The tagged animal bit the man on the back of the leg in the Hook Point barge area on Monday in the third attack in as many weeks.
A primary school-age girl was taken to hospital with significant leg wounds last week after being bitten several times while swimming near Hook Point.
She was one of two children attacked in the area in recent weeks.
Since December 10, six dingo-related incidents have occurred on K'gari, five of which involved children.
Rangers and the local Butchula Aboriginal Corporation are considering, among other things, the use of tracking collars to monitor the animals.
The decision to euthanise the dingo has been criticized by some Australians who claimed it was the responsibility of visitors to stay away from dingoes (photo, dingoes at K'gari)
But they have rejected calls to cull any of the estimated 200 dingoes on K'gari, blaming visitor behavior for a spike in incidents.
A series of incidents in 2023 led rangers to euthanize a dingo that had bitten a woman on the thigh while she was visiting the island.
QPWS has urged people to be 'dingo safe' by walking in groups, camping in fenced areas and not running on the heritage-listed island.
Children must be kept under constant supervision and within easy reach at K'gari.
QPWS said it was important to keep all food, waste and bait locked up and never feed the animals.