An urgent review of dingo management and their interaction with people will be carried out on Australia’s Fraser Island after a dingo snatched a baby.
More rangers will patrol Fraser Island over the rest of the Easter and Anzac Day holidays after a toddler was dragged from his camp bed by a dingo before being rescued by his father.
A review of the way the island’s dingo population is managed and how officials prevent dangerous interactions between the animals and people will also be carried out urgently.
Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch announced the measures on Sunday, saying the review would also explore ways to improve the state government’s partnership with Butchulla traditional owners.
The review will determine what else needs to be done to improve the safety of the 400,000 visitors who visit the island, known as K’gari, every year.
“Management of dingoes on K’gari is complex, and the government is committed to supporting a sustainable and healthy dingo population, while minimising the risks to human safety and dingo welfare,” Ms Enoch said.
Rangers have been visiting camp sites since Thursday night’s incident to remind people to stay within arms reach of children and young teenagers, walk in groups, camp within fenced areas, not to feed dingoes or to run, and to secure rubbish, fish, and bait.
A 14-month-old boy’s family were sleeping inside their camper trailer in a remote area of the island on Thursday night when two dingoes crept inside.
It was the third dingo attack this year.
One of the dogs bit the boy’s neck and began dragging him into the bush by his head before his father heard his screams and fought them off.
The little boy is recovering after two rounds of surgery at the Queensland Children’s Hospital for wounds to his head and neck.
By Sonia Kohlbacher
