Five-year-old savaged by dingo in 'unprovoked attack'
A five-year-old has been rushed to hospital after he was attacked by a dingo at a camping ground on K’gari (Fraser Island).
Queensland Ambulance Service was alerted to the incident just after 4pm on Sunday, and flight paramedics attended finding the boy had suffered wounds to his head, right side, upper back and hands.
Reports suggest the child was "jumped on" by the dingo in an unprovoked attack near the island’s remote Ocean Lake camping area. Queensland’s department of environment (DES) said he was being supervised by his father at the time who intervened.
"The child sustained multiple minor bites before his father managed to get the dingo off him," an RACQ LifeFlight Rescue spokesperson said.
Yahoo News Australia understands rangers are now investigating to determine which dingo was behind the attack. They will then develop a management plan, but a decision about the animal’s future is yet to be made.
Sympathies sent to victim's family after dingo attack
The victim was flown to Hervey Bay Hospital where he is now recovering, and an update is expected later on Monday.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service said in a statement it “extends its sympathies to the boy and his family”. It is reminding visitors to K’gari, where dingoes, known locally as wongari are a protected species, to always keep children under supervision.
K’gari attracts 400,000 visitors a year and is popular with four-wheel-drive enthusiasts, but it is also home to large patches of unspoilt bushland which is teeming with wildlife.
Feeding dingoes, known on the island as wongari, can lead to them aggressively approaching visitors for food. People caught deliberately doing so can be fined up to $11,500.
To stay safe on the island, authorities encourage visitors to always walk in groups, camp in fenced areas, and secure rubbish, food and water at all times. It also advises people not to run if there are dingoes nearby as this can provoke an attack.
Anyone who witnesses negative encounters with dingoes is urged to contact a ranger on 07 4127 9150.
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