The dingo that mauled a five-year-old boy on Queensland’s K’gari Island will not be euthanized, or even relocated, authorities say.
The boy had been visiting Ocean Lake Campground on the island, formerly known as Fraser Island, on Sunday afternoon and was playing on the beach near his parents when the dingo approached him.
The dingo jumped on him and began biting him, with the boy’s father running to separate the pair and the youngster eventually being hospitalized as a result of multiple bites to his head, arm and back.
Natural resource management ranger Linda Behrendorff said euthanasia or culling were not the answers.
“At this stage, we have extra rangers in the area and are doing more ‘dingo safe’ education,” Ms Behrendorff said.
He said the attack took place in an unfenced section of the island.
“Unfortunately, these kids were playing in the sand, and one of them got up and left.”
“They were very close to their parents and the boy was ambushed by a single dingo,” Ms Behrendorff said.
“These parents were keeping an eye on these kids. It’s just that if you’re camping in an unfenced area, be aware that (you’re in) a remote area where there are wild dingoes around.”
The boy and his family were taken by ambulance to a helipad on the island, where he and his mother were taken to Hervey Bay Hospital.
Sunday’s attack came just two weeks after the state government issued a warning about the risk of an expected increase in the presence of dingoes in the area.
A few days earlier, a new seven-kilometer fence was completed surrounding the nearby township of Orchid Beach, in an attempt to reduce persistent violent dingo attacks on the island.
The new fence was built less than 10 kilometers from where Sunday’s dingo attack occurred.
Queensland Parks and Forests issued a notice in August that relocation of dingoes to the area would begin from December 3 and last for two weeks, until December 17.
“Wongari (dingo) activity may increase inside and outside the fence, on beaches and in unfenced camping areas,” the warning said.
“Rangers will increase patrols and closely monitor the impact.”
The region has been battling dingo attacks for decades, after nine-year-old Clinton Gage was attacked and killed by two dingoes near Waddy Point in April 2001.
His death led to the slaughter of about 31 dingoes on K’gari Island.
Last year, a two-year-old boy suffered deep stab wounds to his legs, arms, neck, shoulder and head after an attack at Orchid Beach.
The boy had gone outside while his family was sleeping and was approached by a dingo.
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