Latest Fraser Island Dingo Attack
Submitted: Sunday, Oct 26, 2014 at 12:26
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Allan B (Member, SunCoast)
Maybe not a good idea to go jogging on Fraser Island?
See here.
Reply By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Monday, Oct 27, 2014 at 16:05
Monday, Oct 27, 2014 at 16:05
I also have been going there for a while and never had a lot of problems with dogs. From time to time I have seen them nip people (many years ago) but never attack. What's also interesting is that they have been culled quite ruthlessly I believe and their numbers are much smaller now (paper this morning quotes 50 to 200 for the Island) so it really doesn't make a lot of sense. There is a fair bit of food on the island but their scavenging around various camps and towns has been seriously curtailed.
I was there a month ago and it really was spot the
dingo as they are few and far between. Even at
camp where the fishing and cooking aromas should have brought them around it was several days before we had an encounter. It was late at night and someone got a fright seeing one near the
camp (what a girl) and we moved it along.
Sounds a bit like crying wolf or is that
dingo but their behaviour has changed over the last few years and it seems that they are getting desperate. So when we had heaps of dingos the problem was less evident the it is now and with government intervention after a series of attacks and at least one death we seem to have a more serious problem. One can only wonder about the management.
Kind regards
AnswerID:
540912
Reply By: Ron N - Monday, Oct 27, 2014 at 18:34
Monday, Oct 27, 2014 at 18:34
A water pistol filled with a strong ammonia-based cleaning solution and squirted at aggressive dogs is a pretty good way of getting them to back off.
Hit in the mouth and eyes it stings and burns, and makes them think twice about continuing with an attack.
AnswerID:
540921
Follow Up By: rooster350 - Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 at 11:06
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2014 at 11:06
Yep, and we all carry one of those around with us for just that situation...really is a good idea but hardly practical for a tourist on the odd , odd chance of meeting up with a hungry
dingo intent on having them for lunch.
FollowupID:
826894
Reply By: Robyn R4 - Thursday, Oct 30, 2014 at 21:46
Thursday, Oct 30, 2014 at 21:46
My dad grew up on Fraser during the 1940s. As much as I love and am fascinated by the place I have seen an enormous change in the dingoes between 1985 (my first visit) and 2000 (my last).
Of course we know there are so many more 4WDs on the road these days (and not all are owned by responsible people)
In my opinion there are now too many visitors to the island and with that, comes problems for the dingoes. You see idiots feeding them to lure them in for photos etc but when something goes wrong, the poor
dingo cops it. Gotta have that damn Facebook photo, eh?!
I am very much saddened by the decline of the dingoes' ways. In 1985, they were skitty and kept their distance. 15 years later, we were being warned what to do if confronted.
You can educate people all you like about respecting the poor
dingo, but I think the damage has been done- there will always be the idiots who disregard rules and subsequent tourists then run the risk of facing a
dingo that's been taught the wrong thing.
And yes, the
brumbies were part of the ecology in the 80s when all went a bit more smoothly...
I love Fraser because of my family connection but have vowed to love it from a distance now and be one less vehicle there.
I respect people who visit and I fully understand the lure...but it's not for me any more.
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541093