A dingo that left a girl with significant leg injuries has been identified as rangers consider measures to prevent future attacks on the tourist island of K’gari.
The primary-school-aged girl was swimming near adults when the dingo bit her multiple times on Friday, leaving her with significant lacerations, paramedics said.
She was transferred from the island, formerly known as Fraser Island, to Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
The identity of the sub-adult male dingo was confirmed by Queensland park rangers on Saturday.
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In line with the Dingo Conservation and Risk Management Strategy, rangers and the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation are considering the use of a tracking collar to closely monitor the animal’s movements, among other options.
It marked the fifth incident of a dingo biting a child on K’gari since December 10.
Rangers have rejected calls to cull any of the estimated 200 dingoes on K’gari, blaming visitor behaviour for a spike in incidents.
A 2017 study of attacks on the island showed young dingoes were common perpetrators and children who were many metres from an adult were often the victims.
In the latest case, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service said it had increased patrols in the area “to enhance education to ensure visitors are behaving responsibly”.
“QPWS will consider taking additional steps if the dingo displays further dangerous behaviour,” it said.
Senior Ranger Linda Behrendorff acknowledged the girl and her family would be traumatised and called on the public to help keep all park users, including dingoes, safe.
“The best thing parents can do to keep their children safe around dingoes is to keep them within arm’s reach at all times and walk with a long stick,” she said.
The Queensland government invested an additional $2 million this financial year to help boost public safety on K’gari.
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