Dingos on K'gari
Dingos on K'gari
Obviously a lot of media about the dingos lately.
I've been travelling to Fraser/K'gari for over 30 years. The last 2 visits were the first time that I as an adult felt in danger. I've always been vigilant with watching my 2 kids, but it certainly takes the relaxation out of the equation when you're constantly scanning for them.
My opinion is kill any dingo that shows any sign of aggression to humans. I know that will be unpopular, but I can't think of another way. The fines and "advice" are having zero effect. Most of the time the tourists that encourage negative dingo behaviour are long gone when that dingo exhibits these behaviours to other people.
I go every year, but this year am genuinely scared of taking my kids. We stay in a house, can't even think about what it would be like camping
No, don’t kill any dingos. Don’t go to Fraser Island if you don’t want to risk being attacked by the native animals.
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This is the problem though. The ones hanging around the campsites aren't behaving as native animals.
For more than 30 years you'd be lucky to see one and if you did, it would slink off into the distance and go back to its natural environment. Those dingoes are special and should absolutely be left alone. The packs who are known to hang around high people areas are the problem. They aren't the same thing
-3They are the same thing - they’re wild animals.
The absolute last thing we should be doing is killing our native animals because people are too stupid.
8In my opinion that's a human problem, not a dingo problem. There is easy food because people are feeding them or being irresponsible with their food and rubbish around and in the campsites. Wild animals will always go for the easiest food sources. Killing the animals does not solve the problem, unless you either educate the people or restrict access.
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I get where you’re coming from, but killing a wild animal for being a wild animal can’t be the right approach.
K’gari has HEAPS of information about dingos. On top of that, if you get in ear shot of a ranger, they’ll talk to you about the dangers and how it’s always the tourists fault.
K’gari is a special place where dingos are still wild. Enjoying it simply involves respecting that wild animals are present and some precautions need to be taken. Otherwise, surely families can choose from heaps of other destinations that are safer.
3They aren't wild. They're completely reliant on stupid humans for food. The ones around Eli creek and orchid beach have so much human interaction they might as well be domesticated dogs.
The information isn't working. The dingos are getting bolder, are not afraid of humans and when they don't get what they want (food) they become aggressive. They're also pack animals and extremely smart. They see one dingo successfully open an Esky/tent/get food from a human and it doesn't take long for the pack to think that that's a decent way to go about it.
Yes the tourists are stupid, but what's happened is that the dingoes now believe that every human is a food source. Those backpackers that fed the dingo and got away with it don't suffer the consequences of their actions, it's every human than comes after them.
The population is estimated to be between 100-200 (I think it's much higher than that) you can't seriously think that if one of these animals repeatedly attacks people that the animal should be protected?
When the recent dog attacks happened in Brisbane, everyone expects the dog to be put down. I have no idea why the same isn't applied to dingoes. The local indigenous leaders are in agreement as well.
2I agree with @c15co
They should not be killed. Perhaps there should be a program like the one for the bears at Yellowstone. They are relocated when they learn humans are a source of food to an area where they can no longer pose a threat to humans.
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