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Rangers say dingoes on K'gari are 'gorging' themselves on food and rubbish
Rangers say dingoes on K'gari are 'gorging' themselves on food and rubbish

ABC News

time01-07-2025

  • ABC News

Rangers say dingoes on K'gari are 'gorging' themselves on food and rubbish

Tents are being ransacked and belongings destroyed on K'gari (Fraser Island), prompting rangers to warn school holiday visitors to be aware of the island's apex predator. Dingoes have been feasting on food and rubbish from unsecured campsites on the heritage-listed island, according to Queensland Parks and Wildlife rangers. "Rangers came across a number of sites recently where the dingoes have gotten into the camping gear and absolutely gorged themselves on food," Linda Behrendorff said. "Dingoes are opportunistic, and they will take a chance to come into a camp if they can smell [food]." Dr Behrendorff said the recent incidents were a concerning sign that dingoes were losing their natural fear of humans. "Normally they will grab something off a table or grab something out of an esky … but to rip it all to bits — that sparks rangers' interests," she said. Dr Behrendorff said food and rubbish had to be stored properly to ensure safety on K'gari. "We are always telling visitors to make your camp as unattractive to dingoes as you possibly can," she said. "That includes securing items or equipment with locks, not bands that [dingoes] can chew off. "Use good, sturdy eskies that you can shove right under vehicles or picnic tables so the dingoes can't drag them away. "They're very good at getting into flimsy, canvas things … they're no good over here, your food will be taken away very quickly." Dr Behredorff also urged fishers to properly dispose of their scraps. "Fishers should bury fish frames and unused bait at least 50cm deep in the sand to prevent dingoes digging it up," she said. The environment department said feeding dingoes, even inadvertently, was illegal. "On-the-spot fines include $2,580 for deliberately feeding a dingo and $464 for food availability," a spokesperson said. "The maximum court-imposed penalty for feeding dingoes is $26,614."

Wildlife rangers euthanase crocodile seen on Mary River
Wildlife rangers euthanase crocodile seen on Mary River

ABC News

time01-07-2025

  • General
  • ABC News

Wildlife rangers euthanase crocodile seen on Mary River

Queensland Parks and Wildlife rangers say they have "humanely euthanased" a crocodile on Queensland's Fraser Coast. The 3-metre long estuarine saltwater crocodile was first seen by a council employee in the Mary River near Maryborough, three hours north of Brisbane, last week. Crocodile management teams Rockhampton and Townsville were then dispatched to catch the animal. But after a seven-day hunt the Department of Environment said the crocodile had been euthanased on the banks of the Mary at Dundathu, downriver of Maryborough, "due to the ongoing public safety risk". The crocodile was at least 200 kilometres south of its typical habitat in central and northern Queensland. Rangers say its location could have been caused by weather conditions, territorial disputes, or the crocodile travelling on river currents. The department encouraged crocodile sightings to be reported via the QWildlife app or to the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science, and Innovation.

Rangers search for a stabbed K'gari (Fraser Island) dingo that attacked child
Rangers search for a stabbed K'gari (Fraser Island) dingo that attacked child

ABC News

time24-05-2025

  • ABC News

Rangers search for a stabbed K'gari (Fraser Island) dingo that attacked child

Wildlife rangers say a dingo that was stabbed with a pocketknife to free a child from its jaws on K'gari (Fraser Island) is not expected to survive as they continue to search for the wounded animal. Community leaders are calling the attack an "unfortunate" reminder to keep children within arm's reach when visiting the World Heritage-listed island. Authorities said the 9-year-old boy was at a camp area near Yidney Rocks, on the central-east coast of K'gari, when he was bitten on the arm on Friday. Multiple witnesses reported to rangers that a bystander sprung to his aid, attempting to pull the dingo off the child. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service ranger Mark Cody said the man reportedly produced a pocketknife and stabbed the dingo in the neck to halt the attack on the child. "Whilst [rangers] were trying to manage the people on the beach, and while other staff were bringing the appropriate medication to provide humane relief to the animal, the animal has moved further into the bush." Mr Cody said the dingo's chance of survival, and the likelihood that rangers will recover the animal from K'gari's dense bushland, were slim. "Rangers are still attempting to try and locate that animal. They will continue to do that through the weekend," Mr Cody said. "I can't say for sure we will find the animal because the behaviour is that it would probably try and find somewhere which is very reclusive such as a hollow log or under a tree." The dingo is a protected species on K'gari, but Mr Cody said the man will not be charged over his actions to save the child. The boy was transported to Hervey Bay with minor injuries. Traditional Owners are reminding parents to keep their children close and never travel alone when on K'gari. Butchulla leader Darren Blake has worked as a dingo ranger on the island and said these kinds of incidents can be prevented. "It's not good news on both ends. My heart goes out to the little boy, he didn't need to experience that," Mr Blake said. "The wongari [dingo] has paid the ultimate price. "Being a parent and going over there you can't relax, you can never relax. Mr Blake urged visitors to use a stick to shoo away dingoes lingering around campsites. "The dingoes are not starving, but they are hunters and scavengers … so they will take an opportunity as soon as they have a chance," he said. "Everyone needs to do the right thing and deter the animal. Don't let it hang around you." Deputy Mayor of the Fraser Coast Regional Council, Sara Faraj, said campers and day-trippers should approach rangers if they are concerned about dingoes on the island. "It's really important the people going onto the island are educated as best as possible to understand the risk of going onto the island," she said. The Queensland government said rangers have increased patrols around the area where the attacked occurred and engaged with tourists about dingo safety.

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