Dream vacation turns into a nightmare: several children attacked by aggressive dingoes

By Carola Frentzen

Brisbane (Australia) - On the world's largest sand island, K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) in Australia, four tourists have been attacked by aggressive dingoes within a week. Among the victims were three children.

On K'gari in Australia, four tourists have been attacked by aggressive dingoes within a week. (archive picture)
On K'gari in Australia, four tourists have been attacked by aggressive dingoes within a week. (archive picture)  © Florian Sanktjohanser/dpa-tmn

However, no one was seriously injured, reported Sky News Australia, citing the emergency services. Dingoes are dog-like predators that live mainly Down Under and are one of the attractions on the island off the east coast.

According to the authorities, the most recent incident occurred on Sunday when a two-year-old child was bitten on the leg by a dingo in a parking lot near the famous Lake McKenzie.

Just Thursday, a dingo bit a four-year-old girl on the shoulder while she was swimming in shallow water in Lake McKenzie.

A few days earlier, a woman and a child who were walking on a beach with their family were attacked by dingoes.

Parents should arm themselves with sticks to defend themselves

There are repeated attacks on tourists by dingoes on K'gari.
There are repeated attacks on tourists by dingoes on K'gari.  © Fraser Island Dingo Preservation/epa/dpa

The park authorities responded with more patrols and additional warning signs.

Parents were also asked to take extra care of their children and to carry sticks with them in case of an attack. "Some dingoes attack children because they think they are the weaker members of the pack," the ABC channel quoted chief ranger Linda Behrendorff as saying.

On the island off the coast of the Australian state of Queensland, there are repeated attacks by dingoes on humans, but these usually end relatively mildly.

The animals, which do not bark but howl like wolves, are protected on K'gari.