Hubbry Logo
Dingo attackDingo attackMain
Open search
Dingo attack
Community hub
Dingo attack
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Dingo attack
Dingo attack
Dingo attack
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

A dingo on K'gari in Queensland

Attacks by dingos on humans are rare in Australia, but there have been an increasing number of attacks recorded in the 21st century. These have mostly occurred on the island of K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) off the coast of Queensland, where increasing tourism has brought more humans into contact with the longstanding dingo population there.

Overview

[edit]
Pastoralists views on the possibility of dingo attacks in connection with the disappearance of three girls in Brisbane in 1933

Dingoes are a danger to livestock, especially to sheep and young cattle.[1] The 5,614-kilometre-long (3,488 mi) Dingo attacks on livestock are fairly common occurrences and a serious concern for the Australian livestock industry.[1] The Dingo Fence was constructed in Southeast Australia to protect the livestock there from attacks.[2]

Wild dogs are fairly large predators, but are much smaller than able-bodied adults and therefore not generally much of a threat to them. However, they can be a serious threat to incapacitated, isolated, outnumbered, or very small humans, especially infants and young children.[3][4][5] Dingo attacks have most frequently occurred on young children and small teenagers.[6][7]

Humans and dingoes generally tend to avoid each other. In some situations, however, such as on K'gari and some locations in the Northern Territory, close interaction between dingoes and humans, especially feeding dingoes, has led to dangerous habituation and attacks.[6][8]

Causes

[edit]

The likelihood of wild dog attacks on humans depends to a large degree on how humans behave toward them. The more frequently these dogs are fed or scavenge human leftovers, the more likely it is that they lose all caution and sometimes react aggressively towards humans when they perceive themselves to be in conflict with the human. During a study on K'gari dingoes, the researchers reasoned that the presence of humans influences the activity of dingoes. The tourism industry on the island encouraged people to approach dingoes without caution, and such encounters were practically expected by the tourists. People lost their caution when dealing with dingoes more and more frequently, and the number of reported interactions increased.[7] The way the dingoes reacted towards humans was dependent on the way humans behaved toward them. Dingoes tended to show aggressive behaviour when humans fled, and tended to be intimidated when humans consciously or aggressively moved towards them. Humans making submissive postures seemed to cause a neutral or submissive reaction of the dingoes. That dingoes showed aggressive behaviour towards humans seemed to be similarly likely during different times of the year. However, adult dingoes might be more dangerous during the breeding season, and female dingoes especially when they raise their pups.[citation needed]

Even when habituation to humans seems to be the cause for attacks, it is not clear what the ultimate cause for attacks and overall threat towards humans is. It is possible that some attacks result from the "play" of young pups, especially with children. Attacks can also be caused by false reactions of humans to aggressive and dominance behaviour of dingoes. It is assumed that dingoes might have started to regard "human" food sources (garbage cans, leftovers, handouts, etc.) as part of their territory and that attacks on humans can therefore occur because the dingoes see humans as competitors and want to protect their food sources. That some dingoes might regard humans as prey was also deemed possible because humans, especially children, could be theoretically overpowered.[9][10]

Some tourists seemed confused by the high numbers of rules in some parks and in some cases have been observed to actively feed the wild animals.[9][10][11][12]

Even when habituation to humans seems to be the general cause for attacks, it is not absolutely clear, and therefore the overall threat towards people is not known for sure. Some attacks might result from the "play" of young pups, especially with children. Attacks can also be caused by mistaken reactions of humans to aggressive and dominant behaviour of dingoes. That some dingoes might regard humans as prey is a possibility, as children or incapacitated adults could be theoretically overpowered.[9][10] Bradley Smith, who had been researching wild dog behaviour at Central Queensland University said in 2013 that K'gari has a problem with humans and not with the dingoes, that dogs who were labelled "aggressive" were simply behaving naturally.[13]

The behaviour of humans might undermine efforts to guard against dingo attacks. Therefore, the change in human behaviour is at the centre of attention. Warning signs like "Beware of Dingoes" seem to have lost their effect on K'gari, despite the high number of such signs. Furthermore, some humans do not realise how adaptive and quick dingoes are. Therefore, humans do not remain attentive enough. They do not consider, for instance, that dingoes steal food like fruits and vegetables. In addition, some tourists seemed to be confused by the high number of rules in some parks, and they have been prompted in some cases to actively feed the wild animals.[9][12][11][10]

Attacks on humans

[edit]

In December 1933, when three girls went missing near Mount Coot-tha,[14] the possibility of their having been attacked by dingoes was considered. Local livestock men who live and work among dingoes all their lives, said that they had no direct knowledge of any dingo attacks on humans, but from what they knew of the animal, they reasoned that a starving dingo would attack a defenseless human. Some had heard of human remains found scattered by dingoes. Scholarly experts couldn't comment due to contradictory evidence.[15] The three girls were found unharmed two days later. Dingoes played no part in their disappearance.[16]

The first well-documented case of a dingo attack on K'gari is from 1988. As early as 60 years before, a newspaper account reported of problems with dingoes. Between 1996 and 2001, 279 incidents with dingoes were reported, of which 39 were assessed as "major" and one as "catastrophic".[11]

Three reports of dingo attacks on humans caused special attention:

  • On 19 August 1980 a nine-week-old girl named Azaria Chamberlain was taken by one or more dingoes near Uluru.[17] Her mother was suspected and convicted of murder. Four years later she was released from prison when the jacket of the baby was found near Uluru. This incident caused much outcry for and against the dingoes. The story was adapted into a film named Evil Angels (also known as A Cry in the Dark) starring Meryl Streep.[18][19] In 2012 a coroner concluded that sufficient evidence existed to confirm a dingo attack as cause of Azaria Chamberlain's death.[20]
  • On 30 April 2001 nine-year-old Clinton Gage was attacked and killed by two dingoes near Waddy Point on Fraser Island (K'gari). The incident and the following culling of 31 dingoes caused much outcry among the residents. There were many protests and the suggestion was made to erect fences. The incident seemed to have had only a low impact on the tourism industry, and some tourists even felt safer due to the increased presence of rangers.[10][11]
  • In November 2012, a six-month-old dingo known as Inky was killed by rangers on K'gari after continued aggressive and dangerous behaviour towards people. The threatening behaviour included "lunging" at a family, coming out of the bushland at high speed towards volleyball players, and grabbing two tourists on separate occasions with his mouth, not breaking the skin on either occasion.[21] Rangers attempted to trap the dangerous dingo for a month before they were successful. The captured animal was then euthanised.[22] One Dingo advocacy group argued that, as a juvenile, the dingo's aggressive behaviours would be considered normal for his young age.[21] Soon after, Inky's brother Byron was killed by rangers, although his documented incidents never reached the serious Code E level that his brother's had.[23]

List of attacks on humans

[edit]

Below is a partial list of dingo attacks and alleged dingo attacks that occurred in Australia, in reverse chronological order.

Victim(s) Date Location Description
Piper James, 19-year-old woman 19 January 2026 K'gari, Queensland Canadian tourist Piper James drowned at K'gari and her body was founded surrounded by dingos. A preliminary coroner's report in January 2026 concluded that she had been bitten by dingos before, as well as after, her death by drowning.[24][25]
Woman, 20's 17 July 2023 K'gari, Queensland A woman is attacked by four dingoes while jogging at Orchid Beach on K'gari. She is flown by rescue helicopter to Hervey Bay Hospital suffering bite wounds to her limbs and torso.[26]
Boy, 10 16 June 2023 K'gari, Queensland A ten-year-old boy is attacked and dragged to the water by a dingo which then attempts to drown the boy by holding his head under the water but the boy is rescued by his 12-year-old sister.[27]
Boy, 4 2 June 2023 Karijini National Park, Western Australia A four year old boy is bitten on the leg by a dingo at Dales Campground.[28]
Woman Late April or May 2023 K'gari, Queensland A French tourist is bitten on the buttocks by a dingo with video of the incident widely circulated in the media.[27]
Woman, 20s 30 April 2023 K'gari, Queensland A woman receives treatment for puncture wounds to her upper leg after being bitten by a dingo at Eli Creek.[29]
Boy, 2 14 April 2023 Karijini National Park A two year old boy is attacked by a dingo at Dales Campground at Karijini National Park and suffers serious injuries.[30]
Girl, 6 3 April 2023 K'gari, Queensland A six-year-old girl is attacked by a dingo while she plays in a shallow lagoon at Waddy Point, which attempts to drown the girl by holding her head underwater before family members were able to rescue the girl.[31]
Boy, 5 18 December 2022 K'gari, Queensland A five year old boy is attacked by a dingo near the Ocean Lake camping area on K'gari and suffers injuries to his arm, buttocks and head before his father is able to chase the dingo away.[32]
Boy, 2 17 April 2021 K'gari, Queensland A 2-year-old boy wandered away from a house at Orchid Beach while his family was asleep and was attacked, suffering wounds to his leg, arm, the base of his neck, his shoulder and also had a laceration at the base of his head.[33][5]
Boy, 8 4 February 2021 K'gari, Queensland The boy and his father were at Orchid Beach and walking past a pack of dingoes when one of the juveniles got up and started walking towards the boy, who then stumbled in the sand and fell over and the dingoes or the dingo then advanced on the boy, but were scared away by the father.[34]
Boy, 14 months old 18 April 2019 K'gari, Queensland A dingo entered a family's camper trailer under its canvas and then dragged the child out while the family was asleep. The screams of the child alerted the father, who gave chase, rescued the child and also scared off a number of other dingos. The child was airlifted to Hervey Bay Hospital with deep lacerations to the back of the neck and head, he also suffered a fractured skull.[35]
Boy, 9, and woman, 24 28 February 2019 K'gari, Queensland A 9-year-old boy was returning to his campsite from an afternoon swim with his family when they were approached by 2 dingoes and were attacked by them. He suffered serious injuries, including lacerations to his arms, legs and suffered a bite mark to his face. The same dingoes also attacked his 24-year-old mother as she tried to protect him, causing "deep injuries" to her arms and legs. Both were airlifted to Sunshine Coast University Hospital.[36]
Boy, 6 19 January 2019 K'gari, Queensland A female dingo and her 3 sub-adult offspring attacked the boy when he ran up a sand dune near the Govi Camping Ground, south of Eurong. He was airlifted to hospital and treated for puncture wounds and scratches to his legs.[37]
Debbie Rundle, 54 18 July 2018 Telfer, Western Australia While eating lunch, she was attacked by three dingos, leg severely injured, torn to the bone requiring major surgery[38]
2 unnamed females in 20s or 30s 26 October 2014 K'gari, Queensland Two Australian women bitten while jogging; one of the women was hospitalised[39]
A family, other unnamed tourists November 2012 K'gari, Queensland A six-month-old dingo was killed by rangers on K'gari after continued aggressive and dangerous behaviour towards people. The dangerous behaviour included "lunging" at a family, coming out of the bushland at high speed towards volleyball players, and grabbing two tourists on separate occasions with his mouth, not breaking the skin on either occasion.[21] Rangers attempted to trap the dangerous dingo for a month before they were successful. The captured animal was then euthanised.[22] One dingo advocacy group argued that, as a juvenile, the dingo's aggressive behaviours would be considered normal for his young age.[21] Soon after the dingo's brother was killed by rangers, although documented incidents for this dog never reached the serious Code E level his brother's had.[23]
Girl, 13 15 July 2012 Jabiru inside Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory Victorian girl woke to a dingo dragging her sleeping bag. She was sleeping on a mattress outside her family's caravan.[40]
Girl, 3 26 April 2011 K'gari, Queensland A three-year-old girl was attacked on K'gari by two dingoes. She suffered serious puncture wounds to her leg.[41][42]
Woman 21 April 2009 Stuart Highway near Devils Marbles, Northern Territory Michelle Robson, a nurse who had just left a job at Alice Springs Hospital was travelling with her partner Ihab Hassan when their car left the road and Ms Robson was injured. Mr Hassan moved Ms Robson to the shade of a tree and went to get help. While he was gone Ms Robson had to use a stick to fend off a dingo which attacked her, and was bitten on the hand in the process.[43]
Girl, 4 April 2007 K'gari, Queensland Young girl severely bitten.[44]
Girl, 4 September 2006 K'gari, Queensland A four year old girl is bitten on the stomach by a dingo as she played in shallow water near Eurong.[45]
Woman March 2003 K'gari, Queensland A British woman is bitten by a dingo and sustains a slight bruise and grazing.[46]
Clinton Gage, 9-year-old male April 2001 Near Waddy Point on K'gari, Queensland Clinton Gage was attacked and killed. The incident and the resultant killing of 31 dingoes caused a large outcry among the residents. There were many protests and the suggestion was made to erect fences.[11][10]
Woman, 63 February 1999 K'gari, Queensland A 63-year-old German tourist was mauled by two dingoes as she lay sun baking at Lake McKenzie.[47]
Girl, 13-month-old 4 April 1998 K'gari, Queensland A dingo snatched a 13-month-old baby from the Waddy Point camping ground and dragged her for two metres before the baby's father was alerted to the baby's screams enabling him to rescue his daughter.[48] It was one of two separate dingo attacks which occurred on the same day.[49]
Girl, 3 4 April 1998 K'gari, Queensland A three-year-old Norwegian girl was attacked by a dingo as she and her family camped at Lake McKenzie.[50] It was one of two separate dingo attacks which occurred on the same day.[49]
Two women March 1998 K'gari, Queensland Two British backpackers are attacked by a dingo while washing camping utensils in the sea.[48] One of the women was bitten 14 times and was hospitalised.[48]
Boy, 5 19 March 1997 K'gari, Queensland A five year old Gympie boy is injured when he is attacked by two dingoes while playing hide and seek with his younger sister near the dining area of Eurong resort.[51]
Azaria Chamberlain, 2-month-old August 1980 Uluru, Northern Territory Notorious case which gained international attention. Azaria's mother Lindy Chamberlain was initially convicted of murdering Azaria, but was later exonerated. In 2012 the official verdict was amended to state that Azaria was killed by dingoes.
Girl, 4 1979 Darwin, Northern Territory A four-year-old girl is attacked by another person's pet dingo after it escaped from the chain it was tethered to. She suffers multiple puncture wounds and scarring. The girl was awarded $5110 in damages.[52]
Lyall Fuller, adult male September 1942 near Woolgoolga, New South Wales Fuller believed he had shot a dingo dead, but when he walked over it "sprang to its feet and flew at him". He then clubbed it to death with his rifle, before dismembering it and using it as lobster bait. He stated that "the dingo had her pups hidden nearby and this apparently was the reason for the violence of the attack".[53]
Ted Worth, adult male September 1942 near Glen Innes, New South Wales "Savaged" by a dingo that had been caught in a rabbit trap.[54]
Gordon Philp, adult male October 1938 Boonah, Queensland Philip found a "large dingo" attacking his calf and was then pursued by the dingo into a creek. He forced it underwater until it drowned.[55]
Gilbert Hamilton, adult male September 1936 Bilambil, New South Wales Fended off the attack with a sack of bananas, then by throwing stones to scare the dingo away.[56]
Ian Pollard, 3-year-old male January 1935 Hillview, Queensland Bitten on the forehead, requiring stitches. The dingo had escaped from captivity.[57]
George Cox and two other adult men May 1928 Merewether, New South Wales Attacked by a pack of seven dingoes while returning from fishing. He fended off the attack with a stick and climbed up a tree. He was eventually found by two other men searching for him, whom the dingoes also attacked.[58]
Teenage boy December 1927 Nambour, Queensland A farmer's son searching for missing sheep was attacked by four or five dingoes. He was rescued without injury when his screams were heard.[59]
Edgar Tighe, 3-year-old male January 1916 Dangar, Queensland Found dead with "one leg bitten off either by foxes or dingoes".[60]
John Pallier, adult male September 1909 Illawarra Range, New South Wales Spent the night in a tree after being attacked by a pack of dingoes, who continued to stalk him for several days.[61]
Girl, 12 c. 1845 Cuppacumbalong Homestead, present-day ACT Found to have been killed and eaten by dingoes after running away from home. Reported by John Gale in a 1927 book about the history of Canberra,[62] and by Samuel Shumack in his autobiography published posthumously in 1967.[63]

Attacks on other animals

[edit]
See also: Economic impact of the dingo

Dingos frequently prey on sheep, goats and cattle when they have the chance.[1] Because of this, the Dingo Fence, one of the longest structures in the world, was constructed to limit dingo migration into agricultural regions.[2] Cattle are usually quite capable of defending themselves against dog attacks and the losses for cattle owners are therefore usually low, but sheep are extremely vulnerable and their behaviour in the presence of a predator can often lead to surplus killing. Some notable dingo attacks on animals which have appeared in reliable sources:

Name, age Date Species Location, comments
Domestic dogs December 2011 dingo Marrara in the northern suburbs of Darwin, Northern Territory, two dogs taken by a dingo or dingoes in two days.[64]
young calf July 2009 dingo Kawana Forest near Caloundra, pair of young dingoes killed the calf[65]
£1000 worth of sheep 1941–8 dingo Tumbarumba, 13yo dingo "weighed 100 lb. and

measured six feet from tip to tip."[66]

at least 1000 sheep 1942 dingo Captain's Flat[67]
200+ sheep 1939 dingo Billa Billa near Goondiwindi[68]
"many sheep" 1937 Alsatian-dingo cross Oranmeir near Braidwood[69]
10 wallabies 1936 dingo Melbourne Zoo[70]
300 sheep 1933 dingo Benalla[71]
sheep, goats, cattle 1924 dingo Lake Nash district, dingoes described as being extremely numerous and troublesome[72]
600+ sheep years before 1916 dingo Between Deepwater and "Dundee River" (Dundee?)[73]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Dingo attack

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
A dingo attack is an assault on a human by Canis lupus dingo, a wild canid introduced to Australia around 4,000 years ago and now adapted to diverse habitats across the continent, where such incidents remain rare despite the species' widespread presence. These encounters typically involve bites or drags, disproportionately affecting young children due to their vulnerability, and are often precipitated by dingo habituation to human food sources rather than innate predatory intent toward adults. Empirical records indicate fewer than 100 serious interactions documented since the early 2000s, primarily on Queensland's K'gari (Fraser Island), where tourism and improper feeding have intensified risks. The most consequential dingo attack occurred on August 17, 1980, when nine-week-old Azaria Chamberlain vanished from her family's campsite at ; initial skepticism led to her parents' wrongful murder conviction, but subsequent coronial inquiries, including a 2012 finding, confirmed she was taken and killed by a based on forensic evidence and witness accounts of prior child attacks in the area. A second fatal incident took place in 2001 on K'gari, where a pack killed nine-year-old Clinton Gage, prompting stricter management protocols like habituated animals and public education campaigns to mitigate human-induced behavioral changes in . Non-lethal attacks have since escalated in frequency during breeding seasons, correlating with visitor density and lapses in food storage, underscoring causal links between anthropogenic interference and elevated aggression. These events highlight ' role as apex predators capable of opportunistic predation when ecological boundaries erode, informing ongoing debates over conservation versus public safety without evidence of systematic malice.

Dingo Biology and Behavior

Physical Attributes and Predatory Capabilities

Dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) are medium-sized canids characterized by a lean, athletic build optimized for endurance hunting, with adult weights typically ranging from 10 to 20 kilograms and shoulder heights of 50 to 60 centimeters. This physique supports high agility and sustained pursuit of prey across varied terrains, distinguishing them from bulkier domestic dogs through retained wild morphology that favors speed over raw power. Their features sharp, teeth specialized for tearing and shearing , complemented by robust musculature that enables effective subdual of prey. Estimated bite forces fall within 200 to 400 pounds per (PSI), comparable to those of similarly sized domestic dogs but amplified by undomesticated predatory instincts that prioritize lethal efficiency over human-directed traits. These attributes allow to inflict deep lacerations and crush injuries, particularly vulnerable in encounters with smaller or less defended targets. While smaller than gray wolves (Canis lupus), which can exceed 50 kilograms and hunt in larger packs, dingoes exhibit analogous predatory capabilities scaled to their size, including opportunistic pack coordination in family units to overwhelm prey through coordinated attacks and persistence rather than overwhelming force. This combination of physical prowess and innate drive underscores their role as Australia's apex terrestrial carnivores, capable of posing risks through sheer biomechanical efficacy in aggressive interactions.

Natural Foraging and Social Patterns

Dingoes exhibit opportunistic foraging behaviors, hunting solitarily or in small family groups for small- to medium-sized prey including rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and juvenile or weakened kangaroos (Macropus spp.), while frequently scavenging carrion to supplement their diet. Dietary analyses from wild populations in arid and semi-arid regions reveal a generalist predation strategy, with prey selection driven by seasonal availability and population densities, enabling dingoes to suppress resurging herbivore numbers through sustained hunting pressure. This flexibility in foraging tactics underscores their role as efficient predators adapted to variable Australian environments. Socially, dingoes organize into stable family packs typically comprising an alpha breeding pair and their offspring, with territories defended aggressively against intruders to maintain resource access. Hierarchies within packs are enforced via dominance displays and ritualized conflicts, but escalations can result in intraspecific killing, where fatal injuries—often to the head, neck, or torso—are inflicted on subordinates or lone individuals during territorial disputes, as evidenced by necropsies of free-ranging . Such lethal aggression parallels predatory tactics used against prey, involving coordinated attacks by pack members to subdue targets. Activity patterns in wild peak during crepuscular and nocturnal periods, with individuals covering mean daily distances of approximately 6.86 km while patrolling territories and ambushing prey under low-light conditions. These temporal preferences align with heightened sensory acuity for detection and pursuit, minimizing exposure to diurnal competitors and facilitating energy-efficient in open habitats shared incidentally with presence or . In unperturbed populations, this rhythm sustains pack cohesion through synchronized movements, reinforcing without reliance on artificial food sources.

Adaptations to Human Proximity

Dingoes in anthropogenically modified environments, such as islands with limited native prey, display heightened boldness toward humans as an ecological adjustment to resource scarcity. On K'gari (Fraser Island), , dingoes have adapted by approaching human-occupied areas more frequently, exploiting alternative food sources amid reduced availability of traditional quarry like macropods. This behavioral shift manifests in categorized foraging patterns, including "tip dingoes" that frequent anthropogenic waste sites, contrasting with more elusive "desert" variants in unmodified terrains. Hybridization with domestic dogs has further facilitated dingo adaptability to human-dominated landscapes, introducing genetic traits that may enlarge pack sizes and alter social dynamics. While pure dingoes maintain lupine independence with moderate human accommodation, hybrids exhibit reduced predictability and tameness, potentially amplifying opportunistic interactions in settled regions. Such interbreeding correlates with expanded range utilization in proximity to human activity, enhancing survival amid habitat fragmentation across eastern Australia. Empirical studies reveal dingo population densities positively correlating with presence, driven by indirect access to anthropogenic resources. In and , densities range from 0.025 to 0.433 individuals per km² along natural-to-urban gradients, with higher concentrations near settlements reflecting elevated food predictability. These patterns underscore ecological plasticity, where proximity to infrastructure sustains larger groups without necessitating full .

Causes and Risk Factors

Habituation Through Human Feeding

Human activities such as direct feeding of or indirect provision through unsecured rubbish and food scraps condition the animals to associate people with reliable , fostering dependency and eroding their innate wariness of s. This process, known as , prompts to approach human settlements and individuals more frequently and boldly, often scavenging at campsites or trailing visitors in expectation of handouts. Over time, habituated may exhibit aggressive dominance displays or attacks to secure food, as their natural instincts are supplanted by learned human reliance. On K'gari, tourist behaviors including leaving accessible scraps have been linked to heightened nutritional conditioning, correlating with a marked increase in attacks from 2023 onward. In 2023 alone, authorities recorded more than 130 threatening or high-risk -human incidents, many involving habituated animals seeking anthropogenic food sources. actions underscore the issue, such as a September 2023 fine exceeding $2,000 levied against a man for deliberately feeding two , an act rangers described as initiating pathways. Long-term data from K'gari reveals the persistence of food-driven , with an analysis of 7,791 human-dingo interaction reports from 1990 to 2020 identifying 1,307 as food-related, comprising about 14% annually and contributing to escalated risks of aggression. These interactions often precede severe outcomes, including euthanasias of high-risk dingoes after repeated bold approaches, as management efforts like and fines have curbed minor incidents but not eliminated serious threats tied to provisioning. Greater tourism volumes amplify feeding opportunities, intensifying the cycle without addressing underlying human compliance failures.

Environmental and Seasonal Triggers

Drought and scarcity of natural prey in arid Australian regions compel to seek alternative food sources, including incursions into human-adjacent areas, as their primary quarry such as macropods diminishes. In , historical agricultural data from the 1980s correlate increased dingo predation with conditions, where reduced small availability heightens opportunistic . Researcher Brad Purcell observed in 2018 that prolonged in southeastern drew dingoes nearer to settlements due to depleted wild prey populations. Dingo breeding cycles, with mating in autumn (March–May) and pup whelping from June to August, elevate territorial defense and maternal protectiveness, amplifying aggression toward perceived threats. Subadult males exhibit heightened boldness during breeding, while females intensify guarding of dens, contributing to clustered incidents in constrained ecosystems like islands. On K'gari (Fraser Island), protective behaviors during pup season have been associated with multiple high-risk encounters, including bites on visitors. Similarly, June 2023 attacks on two children in involved a displaying breeding-season territoriality amid limited escape routes in the park's rugged terrain. Human infrastructure expansion into peripheral habitats erodes spatial buffers between dingoes and populations, fostering unintended proximity in ecologically marginal zones. The Pilbara region's aridity, combined with mining development, exemplifies this; at Telfer in July 2018, a lone worker sustained deep leg wounds from three in a human-altered setting, where site operations encroached on ranges without sufficient natural deterrents. Such modifications, as analyzed in broader studies, correlate with attacks by disrupting evasion patterns in semi-arid fringes.

Genetic and Hybridization Influences

Genetic analyses of wild canids in Australia reveal that pure dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) constitute a substantial portion of populations, with recent studies indicating 70-98% of samples exceeding 50-80% dingo ancestry in regions like southeastern Australia, challenging earlier assumptions of widespread hybridization-driven decline. Hybridization with domestic dogs occurs primarily near human settlements, but genomic data from over 1,000 samples show limited introgression in remote areas, with purity levels stable over time despite management practices like culling. In Victoria, hybridization evidence remains low, with most wild canids classified as predominantly dingo. Pure dingoes display behavioral traits intermediate between wolves and domestic dogs, including greater stranger-directed fear and reduced trainability compared to modern breeds, which may contribute to wariness around humans and limit bold predatory approaches. Crossbreeding introduces domestic dog genetic variants that can disrupt co-adapted dingo gene sets, potentially leading to unpredictable shifts in temperament, such as increased boldness or altered social aggression from breeds selected for guarding or herding. However, field observations and owner reports find no consistent evidence of elevated aggression in hybrids versus pure dingoes, suggesting hybridization alone does not causally drive attack propensity. Empirical links between and predation emerge from targeted DNA testing of attack victims, as in north-west Victoria where sheep producers in 2025 collected genetic material from mauled to confirm involvement amid rising losses, aligning with regional data showing mostly pure or high- ancestry in predators. Such testing underscores that pure , rather than hybrids, account for documented depredation in these contexts, with no observed between declining purity and intensified attacks; instead, genetic purity appears resilient.

Attacks on Humans

Pre-20th Century Historical Incidents

Early European settler accounts in documented occasional dingo attacks on humans, primarily targeting children or isolated individuals in remote bush areas, challenging later perceptions of dingoes as inherently non-threatening to people. The earliest recorded incident occurred in 1804 near Prospect, , , where a aged 2-3 years was found partially devoured by dingoes, though the report was later questioned as possibly resulting from exhaustion rather than predation. That same year, an adult man in was forced to climb a to escape two pursuing dingoes for 7-8 hours. Such events, drawn from colonial newspapers like the Sydney Gazette, highlighted dingoes' predatory behavior toward vulnerable humans in sparsely populated regions. Throughout the 19th century, reports accumulated, with 52 historical accounts identified between 1804 and 1928, the majority pre-1900 and concentrated in (21 cases) and (17 cases). Notable examples include a 2-year-old girl in the Nepean District, New South Wales, in 1815, whose body was found partially eaten by dingoes; a 3-year-old child presumed devoured near the Namoi River in 1841; and a 12-year-old girl killed and consumed around 1845 at Mount Tennant near Tharwa. In 1891 at Budgerum, Victoria, two dingoes seized a , whose remains were never recovered. These incidents often involved young children under 4 years old (19 of 28 fatalities across the period) or lone adults treed or bitten, such as a 23-year-old bitten on K'gari (Fraser Island) in 1836 or a man pursued by about 12 dingoes in the Wollombi area in 1844. Archival evidence from sources like the Maitland Mercury (1870) and Sydney Morning Herald (1875) underscores that attacks, while infrequent relative to dingo populations, were acknowledged as predatory risks in settings. Indigenous Australian oral traditions reflect a nuanced view of dingoes, emphasizing coexistence through taming wild pups for hunting and companionship, yet transmitting awareness of dangers from untamed or feral individuals, particularly to children. Aboriginal communities managed by socializing captured young, integrating them into social groups, but stories warned of attacks by wild unfamiliar to humans, balancing utility with caution against predation. This pre-colonial predates settler records and indicates that human-dingo conflicts, though not dominant in narratives of partnership, were recognized as real hazards in certain contexts. Historical analyses confirm the rarity of these pre-20th century attacks—fewer than one per year on average across vast territories—but affirm their occurrence, countering early 20th-century misconceptions that universally avoided humans due to fear or timidity. These views emerged amid intensified culling and reduced rural exposures, dismissing prior accounts as exaggerated "romances" despite evidentiary support from diaries, newspapers, and state archives. The documented cases demonstrate ' capacity for opportunistic predation on humans, especially isolated or youthful targets, independent of modern factors.

20th Century Cases Including Azaria Chamberlain

In the early 20th century, several documented attacks on humans occurred primarily in rural , often involving children left unsupervised near dingo habitats. In July 1901, a boy named George Emery, approximately 10 years old, was attacked in the Maryborough district; he escaped by crossing a rocky creek and using stones as defense, with police later locating a dingo den during the search. In 1912, four-year-old Harold Halliday disappeared in the Booyal area of the district, presumed killed and consumed by dingoes, as confirmed by police investigation and Aboriginal trackers, though his body was never recovered. Similarly, in March 1925, two-and-a-half-year-old John Henry O’Sullivan vanished in the Hampden area near Mackay, with police presuming dingo predation due to tracks and the absence of remains. These cases, verified through contemporary police reports and community accounts, highlight dingoes' opportunistic predation on vulnerable young victims in isolated settings, though formal autopsies were rare. No verified dingo attacks on humans were recorded in between 1929 and 1979, a gap attributed in part to widespread dingo and reduced rural exposures, but likely also to underreporting influenced by prevailing cultural narratives. By the mid-20th century, public perception had shifted toward viewing wild as non-threatening to humans without provocation, as evidenced by statements in regional newspapers like the 1941 Times article claiming "Dangerous Dingoes Will Not Attack Man." This belief, rooted in anecdotal reassurances and diminished direct encounters post-colonial expansion, led to dismissal of potential incidents as misattributions to other causes, such as predation or accidents, thereby obscuring the full incidence rate. The scarcity of non-fatal reports relative to presumed fatalities in earlier accounts further suggests systematic underdocumentation of minor attacks. The most prominent 20th-century dingo attack involved the disappearance of nine-week-old Azaria Chantel Loren Chamberlain on 17 August 1980, during a family trip at (then Ayers Rock) in the . Lindy Chamberlain reported seeing a emerge from the family carrying her , prompting an immediate search that yielded no body but tracks and scuff marks consistent with dragging. Initial investigations faced skepticism due to the entrenched view of dingoes as harmless to humans, compounded by forensic misinterpretations—such as the erroneous identification of a sound-attenuating compound as "" evidence of foul play—and cultural biases against the Chamberlains' religious background. Lindy was convicted of murder in 1982 based on , but exonerated in 1988 following the Morling , which critiqued prosecutorial overreach and highlighted predation plausibility through expert testimony on canine behavior. The fourth coronial in 2012 definitively ruled that Azaria was taken and killed by a , citing fresh witness accounts of prior local approaches to children, matriarchal pack hunting patterns matching the incident, and the absence of alternative explanations after decades of scrutiny. This legal verification underscored how preconceived notions of docility had delayed acceptance of empirical indicators, such as the predator's documented capability for in resource-scarce environments. In the 21st century, dingo attacks on humans in have remained statistically rare overall, with experts noting that such events typically involve habituated animals in proximity to people. However, reported incidents have increased, particularly in tourist-heavy regions like Queensland's K'gari (formerly Fraser Island), where high-risk human-dingo interactions surged to over 130 in 2023, compared to 5 high-risk cases in 2022. This uptick reflects elevated risks amid growing visitor numbers, though fatalities have been absent since 2001. Notable cases on K'gari include the June 2023 attack on a sunbathing French tourist, Baudu, who was bitten on the leg by a approaching from behind. In October 2025, a six-year-old boy named Gus sustained severe head injuries and lost half an ear during an assault while fishing with his grandfather near Cooloola Creek; the was stabbed by the grandfather to release the child and later tracked. The boy required multiple surgeries following airlift to a . These events are geographically concentrated in national parks accessible to tourists, prompting the of specific dingoes exhibiting repeated aggression, such as one in September 2023 after biting a woman and other high-risk behaviors. Additional 2025 incidents, including bites on two children during the long weekend, underscore ongoing trends without broader fatalities. Despite the rise, attacks constitute a small fraction of encounters, with management focusing on individual animals rather than population-level interventions.

Attacks on Livestock and Pets

Predation Patterns on Sheep and Cattle

Dingoes primarily target sheep in pastoral regions of , where predation rates are elevated due to the vulnerability of lambs and ewes during lambing seasons. In a 2024 survey of Victorian farmers, 43% reported sheep being maimed or killed by wild dogs, with 50% overall experiencing losses; DNA testing initiated by north-west Victorian producers in 2025 has confirmed dingo involvement in these attacks, amid rising unquantified losses that prompted calls for urgent management. Sheep exhibit fleeing behaviors that facilitate dingo pursuit, leading to beyond immediate dietary needs, particularly in areas without barrier . Nationally, dingo predation has substantially contributed to sheep flock declines in northern and arid zones, correlating with dingo presence and limiting viable sheep to controlled or low-density regions. Cattle face lower predation intensity compared to sheep, though calves are selectively targeted during calving periods, accounting for 24% of reported losses in the same Victorian survey. Dingoes employ pack-based tactics to isolate and overwhelm young livestock, forming cooperative groups for larger prey such as calves or mobs of lambs, which contrasts with opportunistic solitary scavenging. In Queensland and New South Wales, regional data indicate that higher dingo densities align with increased calf and lamb predation, influencing beef and sheep enterprise distributions; for instance, sheep numbers have historically declined near unmanaged dingo frontiers without corresponding rises in beef cattle, underscoring predation selectivity. Economic assessments from Queensland estimate annual losses from dingo predation on sheep and cattle at approximately $18.3 million (in 2002-03 values), highlighting sustained agricultural impacts in high-density areas.

Impacts on Pets and Domestic Dogs

Dingoes commonly prey on domestic dogs in rural and semi-rural Australian settlements, where territorial overlap occurs, with attacks often proving fatal due to the dingo's superior size, strength, and pack-hunting tactics compared to most pet breeds. A 2000–2015 analysis of 2,115 dingo-related incidents across seven local government areas found that 41% involved attacks, of which 15% targeted pets, predominantly dogs (85%). These maulings typically happen at night near human habitations, as dingoes exploit unsecured yards or roaming pets, leading to severe injuries or from throat bites and consistent with wild canid predation. Domestic cats face similar but less frequent threats, comprising only 15% of pet-targeted attacks in the data, owing to their smaller size and nocturnal habits aligning with dingo activity peaks. In rural settings like and Whitsundays, , reports document and small dogs being swiftly overpowered and killed, with survival rare without intervention. For instance, in 2022 near , a treated a mauled in a dingo's mouth, amid unverified claims of multiple recent pet fatalities in the area during breeding season. Intraspecific aggression drives many encounters with domestic dogs, as dingoes view them as competitors for resources or mates, mirroring observed killing behaviors within wild canid groups. In rural , such as the , packs have killed up to 10 pet dogs over months in 2011, illustrating how escaped or working dogs provoke defensive or eliminatory responses from dingoes. This dynamic heightens hybridization risks in fringe areas, where surviving male domestic dogs may breed with female dingoes, though fatal maulings predominate and limit . Rural case examples, including a blue heeler dragged into scrub in , underscore the vulnerability of even robust working breeds to these conflicts.

Economic and Regional Data

In , dingo and wild dog predation imposes quantifiable economic costs on livestock producers, predominantly through sheep losses in grazing regions. In , annual direct costs from predation on sheep and cattle, combined with associated disease transmission, totaled approximately $33.1 million in 2002-03 prices, including $8.77 million for sheep and $5.5 million for calf predation. Earlier assessments in recorded mean annual sheep losses of 7.17 head per property in eastern areas from 1982 to 1985, contributing to broader industry impacts estimated at $4 million yearly for the sheep sector in 1988. A 2024 survey of Victorian producers revealed that 43% experienced sheep maiming or deaths from wild dogs or , with a loss of 11 head per affected over recent years; 24% reported losses, primarily calves, with a of 4 head. In unmanaged scenarios, sheep properties face hypothetical annual stock losses of 16-33%, equating to 6,996−6,996-14,432 per based on period-specific valuations. Regional hotspots include the of , Eastern Highlands of Victoria, and northwest Victoria's Mallee, where interfaces with dingo populations in mallee woodlands and semi-arid zones. Arid inland areas of and exhibit concentrated predation due to pastoral reliance on sheep and , with historical Victoria-wide losses reaching $3 million annually across 23 shires in 1985. Genetic analyses indicate that hybridization with domestic dogs does not appear to exacerbate impacts disproportionately, as most culled wild canids in rural areas are pure dingoes rather than hybrids.

Management and Prevention Strategies

Immediate Response Protocols

Upon a dingo attack, the primary immediate action is to seek emergency medical assistance by dialing Triple Zero (000) in , particularly for bites, lacerations, or other injuries, as delays can exacerbate risks of or blood loss. In the October 11, 2025, incident on K'gari involving a six-year-old boy, paramedics treated head bites and cuts on-site before airlifting him to a hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries, including reconstruction after losing half an ear. Victims or witnesses must report the attack promptly to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) rangers to enable tracking and response, via phone at 07 4127 9150 or email to [email protected], providing details such as location, time, and dingo description. This facilitates rapid assessment and containment, as unreported incidents hinder population monitoring and risk mitigation. For the attacking dingo, QPWS protocol on K'gari involves identifying and humanely euthanizing high-risk individuals after rigorous evaluation of behavior escalation, a measure applied in multiple cases to prevent recurrence, such as the July 2023 pack attack on a woman and the September 2023 incident leading to a third euthanasia that year. Such targeted removal has demonstrated efficacy in reducing immediate threats from habituated animals, though broader food-related interactions persist without addressing human provisioning.

Habitat and Behavioral Interventions

Public education campaigns promote behavioral modifications to deter dingo approaches, including maintaining close supervision of children within arm's reach at all times, traveling in groups, carrying sticks for deterrence, refraining from running, and prohibiting feeding of dingoes. The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation's "Be Dingo-Safe" initiative, reinforced in updates as recent as 2025, underscores these practices across 's national parks, particularly emphasizing their role in preventing to humans. In high-risk island environments like K'gari, habitat interventions include installing dingo-deterrent fencing around townships, resorts, and designated camping areas to restrict access while preserving natural opportunities outside these zones. Strict waste management protocols mandate secure storage of food scraps and rubbish in lidded bins or vehicles to eliminate attractants that could alter dingo patterns toward settlements. These non-lethal strategies have demonstrated measurable reductions in problematic interactions; for instance, targeted management on K'gari since the early 2000s, combining with and controls, correlated with declines in food-related dingo incidents, as evidenced by longitudinal data showing decreased rates of such encounters post-implementation. Over two decades of adaptive application on the island, these interventions have sustained lower levels without relying on population reduction, supporting their efficacy in fostering coexistence through altered human behaviors and environmental barriers.

Culling and Lethal Control Measures

In , lethal control measures for , often classified as wild dogs under frameworks, include routine ground baiting with (1080) poison, aerial and ground shooting, and padded-jaw or cage , primarily in zones to curb predation. These techniques are deployed in integrated programs, such as buffer zones adjacent to public lands, where accredited personnel conduct operations to comply with legal obligations for landholders to suppress populations threatening sheep and . Historical regional studies from South Australia's sheep-farming districts document short-term declines in dingo incursions and livestock losses following intensive campaigns, with reports noting reinvasion challenges but immediate efficacy in localized suppression. On K'gari, lethal interventions consist exclusively of selective targeting individual dingoes deemed high-risk due to , dominance displays, or toward humans, executed humanely by trained rangers as a final measure after nonlethal deterrents fail. This approach avoids broad to preserve the genetically distinct , estimated at around 200 animals, which maintains stability through natural territorial and attrition despite removals. From 2001 to 2013, 110 dingoes were euthanized mainly for escalated human conflicts, including post-attack responses like the rapid removal of 28 habituated individuals near Waddy Point after a 2001 fatal incident. Management data indicate these targeted actions yield short-term reductions in aggressive encounters by eliminating specific threats, with annual rates averaging 1.8 individuals correlating to stabilized serious incident levels amid broader interaction declines.

Controversies and Policy Debates

Underreporting and Risk Downplaying

Prior to the 1980 Azaria Chamberlain incident, Australian society widely held the misconception that wild es did not attack humans, a belief originating from early colonial narratives and reinforced by selective reporting that ignored or dismissed evidence to the contrary. Historical records document at least 52 dingo attacks on humans in between 1788 and 1980, many involving children or isolated individuals, yet these were often attributed to other causes like wild dogs or misidentified animals, perpetuating the myth and likely leading to underreporting of non-fatal incidents. Analyses indicate that minor attacks were almost certainly under-reported, as they did not align with prevailing assumptions about dingo behavior and lacked systematic documentation. In tourism-heavy regions such as K'gari (formerly Fraser Island), where es are promoted as a key attraction drawing over 300,000 visitors annually, incentives to minimize perceived risks may influence reporting and public messaging to sustain visitor numbers. Despite official records of more than 130 threatening or high-risk human- interactions in 2023 alone—marking a significant spike—some media and management communications frame attacks as exceptional or habituation-driven outliers rather than indicators of escalating threats from human proximity and provisioning. This downplaying aligns with historical patterns where economic or cultural interests overshadowed of opportunism toward vulnerable humans. Broader empirical gaps exacerbate underestimation of risks, as lacks a centralized, mandatory reporting system for dingo-human conflicts, relying instead on voluntary submissions to parks services or ad-hoc incident logs that capture only serious cases. Historical data show temporal voids, such as scant records from to 1802 and intermittent coverage thereafter, reflecting inconsistent archival practices rather than absence of events. Such deficiencies hinder causal assessments of attack drivers like or , allowing narratives of rarity to persist despite accumulating evidence from localized spikes.

Conservation Benefits vs. Human and Agricultural Costs

Dingoes function as apex predators in Australian ecosystems, suppressing populations of introduced mesopredators such as feral cats (Felis catus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), which in turn reduces predation pressure on small- to medium-sized native mammals. Field studies, including scat analyses and exclusion experiments, indicate that dingo presence correlates with lower cat abundances and higher survival rates for species like bilbies (Macrotis lagotis) and bandicoots, via direct predation and competitive exclusion. However, the strength of these trophic cascade effects remains contested, with meta-analyses highlighting inconsistent evidence across landscapes and calling for more rigorous controls in observational data to distinguish correlation from causation. Despite these ecological roles, dingo predation imposes substantial agricultural costs, particularly on sheep and industries. National estimates attribute approximately AU$48.5 million in annual production losses to wild dogs (including dingoes and hybrids), with sheep flocks experiencing predation rates that can exceed 20% in unmanaged areas of southeastern . In , historical data from 1960–2010 show that dingo control programs reduced sheep losses by up to 50% in targeted zones, while uncontrolled populations led to calf predation rates of 1–5% in northern beef herds, compounding drought-related stressors. Economic models further quantify net losses at AU$18.3 million (in 2002–03 values) for sheep and predation alone, excluding indirect costs like reduced pastoralist confidence and land abandonment in high-conflict regions. Quantitative trade-offs reveal context-dependent outcomes, where conservation benefits may accrue in extensive rangelands but are often outweighed by agricultural harms elsewhere. In arid zones, suppression of herbivores like can improve pasture regrowth and cattle condition, yielding modeled net economic gains of up to 10–20% in herd productivity under low-control scenarios. Yet, in sheep-dominant landscapes, such benefits fail to offset direct kills, with studies estimating that suppression saves native species value equivalent to less than 5% of annual depreciation. Additionally, reduced in conservation-focused areas exacerbates hybridization with domestic dogs, diluting pure (Canis lupus dingo) genetics; genomic surveys detect hybrid indices >25% in unmanaged eastern populations, threatening lineage integrity without targeted interventions. These dynamics underscore that while dingoes provide verifiable safeguards, empirical loss data prioritize human economic imperatives in productive farmlands. In Aboriginal Australian cultures, have long been revered as totems embodying spiritual essence, kinship ties, and connections to , often featuring in stories, lore, and customs as guardians against evil spirits and aids in . Indigenous groups historically integrated into daily life as companions, warm sleeping partners, and tools for locating or game, with archaeological evidence indicating managed populations predating European contact. Contemporary Indigenous advocacy emphasizes this heritage, with over 20 First Nations groups signing the National First Nations' Dingo Declaration in 2023, asserting dingoes as integral to identity and demanding an immediate halt to lethal control methods like and , framing such actions as "killing " and cultural erasure. In July 2024, traditional owners reiterated calls to end dingo killings, highlighting their role as ecological regulators and cultural icons amid ongoing pastoral conflicts. These positions contrast empirical data on dingo predation, which necessitates control for livestock viability, yet persist in advocacy despite evidence of interbreeding with dogs diluting pure dingo lineages. Legal status varies across Australian jurisdictions, reflecting tensions between native wildlife protections and agricultural imperatives. Under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, dingoes qualify as native species due to their establishment over millennia, yet states classify them differently: protected as threatened in parts of Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory (with full safeguards enacted in 2024), but declared pests or restricted invasives in , , and , permitting on lands. In the , dingoes hold native status under laws but face exemptions for lethal control on leases. Since European settlement in , pastoral laws prioritizing protection—enacted with the arrival of sheep—have institutionalized dingo suppression through bounties, baits (used until ), and later 1080 poisons, alongside exclusion fencing that fragments habitats and reduces populations across rangelands. These measures, driven by documented losses, directly conflict with Indigenous reverence, as leases enable widespread persecution despite cultural declarations, underscoring a causal prioritization of economic productivity over totemic values.

References

  1. https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/arrival-of-the-dingo
  2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9219548/
  3. https://www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/why-do-dingoes-attack-people-and-how-can-we-prevent-it
  4. https://parks.qld.gov.au/parks/kgari-fraser/about/wongari-dingoes/dingo-management
  5. https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/animals/living-with/dingoes/kgari-dingo-strategic-research-program
  6. https://justice.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/205377/azaria-chantel-chamberlain.pdf
  7. https://innocenceproject.org/news/australian-coroner-makes-a-ruling-in-32-year-old-case/
  8. https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstreams/f56ac1c5-94cb-417f-80b7-54bf6ec48f00/download
  9. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318952524_Human-dingo_interactions_on_Fraser_Island_An_analysis_of_serious_incident_reports
  10. https://dingosanctuary.org.au/about-dingoes/
  11. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Canis_lupus_dingo/
  12. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0002200
  13. https://dogell.com/en/dog-breed/dingo
  14. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5932386/
  15. https://theconversation.com/ever-wondered-who-would-win-in-a-fight-between-a-dingo-and-a-wolf-an-expert-explains-158312
  16. https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/plants-animals/animals/living-with/dingoes/about-dingoes
  17. https://era.dpi.qld.gov.au/id/eprint/3677/1/RJ11092.pdf
  18. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00379362
  19. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0006861
  20. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03949370.2017.1316522
  21. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4997273/
  22. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02207.x
  23. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319483723_Recreational_fishing_alters_dingo_foraging_behavior_on_Fraser_Island
  24. https://academic.oup.com/book/8435/chapter/154206197
  25. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7756258/
  26. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.11404
  27. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7278439/
  28. https://parks.qld.gov.au/parks/kgari-fraser/about/wongari-dingoes/dingo-interactions
  29. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/204
  30. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-13/queensland-man-fined-for-feeding-dingoes-kgari-fraser-island/102848382
  31. https://www.detsi.qld.gov.au/our-department/news-media/mediareleases/2023/man-fined-for-feeding-and-habituating-wongari-on-kgari
  32. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-01/dingoes-a-concern-as-they-move-closer-to-civilisation/9820420
  33. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-19/kgari-dingo-attacks-spark-breeding-season-warning/103207840
  34. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-06/dingo-humanely-destroyed-after-attacks-on-children-in-karijini/102444354
  35. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-23/mine-worker-by-dingo-in-pilbara-telfer/10024610
  36. https://theconversation.com/why-do-dingoes-attack-people-and-how-can-we-prevent-it-100515
  37. https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2023/05/new-dna-testing-technology-shows-majority-of-wild-dingoes-are-pure-not-hybrids
  38. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-15/dingo-purity-unchanged-by-culling-study-finds-/102727344
  39. https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2021/03/dogs-not-gone-wild-dna-tests-show-most-wild-dogs-australia-are-pure-dingoes
  40. https://academic.oup.com/evlett/article/9/1/1/7828091
  41. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-23648-1
  42. https://www.wildlife.vic.gov.au/our-wildlife/dingoes
  43. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159116303495
  44. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11718627/
  45. https://pestsmart.org.au/toolkit-resource/wild-dog-biology-behaviour-and-ecology/
  46. https://www.sheepcentral.com/sheep-producers-dna-test-dingo-attacks-as-losses-rise/
  47. https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/livestock-health-and-welfare/livestock-predation-management/livestock-predation-management-in-the-rest-of-victoria
  48. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9454437/
  49. https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/azaria-chamberlain-inquest
  50. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/dingo-attacks-are-in-the-spotlight-are-they-common-and-should-we-be-worried/kjwkp0gky
  51. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-23/k-gari-fraser-island-dingo-attacks-spike-what-is-behind-it/102629828
  52. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-25/french-tourist-bitten-dingo-kgari-fraser-island-behaviour/103767362
  53. https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/boy-6-forced-to-undergo-back-to-back-surgeries-after-dingo-attack/news-story/05e134d05de986f92d2a6eb6bd823fac
  54. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-11/kgari-dingo-attack-young-boy-flown-to-hospital/105881328
  55. https://www.indailyqld.com.au/news/archive/2023/09/11/kgari-dingo-put-down-after-escalation-of-threatening-high-risk-behaviour
  56. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeNbVc52Fr0
  57. https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/protecting-victoria/legislation-policy-and-permits/invasive-plants-and-animals-consultations-and-reviews/Livestock-predation-survey-report_redacted.pdf
  58. https://cdn.environment.sa.gov.au/landscape/docs/ep/nrep_dingo_pest_plan.pdf
  59. https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q3828/influence-of-dingoes-on-sheep-distribution-in-australia
  60. https://vdccn.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/dingoes-and-ungulates-review.pdf
  61. http://era.dpi.qld.gov.au/9970/1/The%2520effect%2520of%2520dingo%2520control%2520on%2520sheep%2520and%2520beef%2520cattle%2520in%2520Queensland.pdf
  62. https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Tabled-Papers/docs/5104T1734/5104t1734.pdf
  63. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12121592
  64. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-04/dingo-attack-warnings/101299464
  65. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314261132_Intraspecific_killing_behaviour_of_canids_how_dingoes_kill_dingoes
  66. https://pestsmart.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/06/BRSDogManage.pdf
  67. https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/livestock-health-and-welfare/livestock-predation-management/livestock-predation-management-in-north-west-victoria
  68. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/06/most-wild-dogs-killed-across-rural-australia-are-pure-dingoes-dna-research-says
  69. https://parks.qld.gov.au/parks/kgari-fraser/about/wongari-dingoes/dingo-safe
  70. https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/157232/be-dingo-safe-flyer.pdf
  71. https://www.detsi.qld.gov.au/our-department/news-media/mediareleases/2024/dingo-euthanised-on-kgari-following-dangerous-incidents
  72. https://parks.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/244781/wongari-expert-panel-report.pdf
  73. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/19/kgari-dingo-euthanised-pack-attack-young-woman
  74. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/11/third-dingo-euthanised-kgari-fraser-island
  75. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9855082/
  76. https://www.detsi.qld.gov.au/our-department/news-media/mediareleases/be-dingo-safe
  77. https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/99990
  78. https://parks.qld.gov.au/parks/kgari-fraser/about/wongari-dingoes/dingo-faqs
  79. https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article-pdf/41/3/521/3125754/i0067-2238-41-3-521.pdf
  80. https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/restricted/wild-dog
  81. https://pestsmart.org.au/toolkit-resource/ground-baiting-of-wild-dogs-with-1080/
  82. https://pestsmart.org.au/toolkit-resource/ground-shooting-of-wild-dogs/
  83. https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/livestock-health-and-welfare/livestock-predation-management/livestock-predation-management-in-eastern-victoria
  84. https://www.publish.csiro.au/WR/fulltext/WR25039
  85. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-89056-z
  86. https://finia.org.au/2023/11/04/a-historical-perspective-on-dingo-attacks-in-australia/
  87. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/02/more-and-more-tourists-are-being-attacked-by-dingoes-on-queenslands-kgari-can-it-be-stopped
  88. https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2019/04/dogged-researchers-show-that-dingoes-keep-feral-cats-in-check
  89. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2817164/
  90. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352249616300015
  91. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2664.12250
  92. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320712005022
  93. https://www.mla.com.au/contentassets/faeca106741049b2827bb15630a94773/b.nbp.0671_final_report.pdf
  94. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2664.12378
  95. https://www.publish.csiro.au/wr/pdf/WR19030
  96. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10524503/
  97. https://theconversation.com/dingoes-are-not-mating-with-dogs-but-that-could-soon-change-if-the-culling-continues-241350
  98. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/conservation-science/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2023.1126140/full
  99. https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2017/08/cultural-history-of-the-dingo/
  100. https://hsi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dingo-declaration-FINAL-A3.pdf
  101. https://theconversation.com/living-blanket-water-diviner-wild-pet-a-cultural-history-of-the-dingo-80189
  102. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/18/first-nations-groups-demand-immediate-stop-to-killing-dingos-as-control-method
  103. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-14/indigenous-groups-call-for-end-to-killing-of-dingoes/104057458
  104. https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2023/06/dingo-culling-a-sanctioned-killing-of-native-animals/
  105. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jul/06/act-canberra-dingo-protected-species
  106. https://animalsaustralia.org/our-work/wildlife/dingoes/
  107. https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/restricted/dingo
  108. https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/businesses/pests-weeds-and-diseases/animal-pests-diseases/pest-mammals/wild-dog/
  109. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=vpc14
  110. https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2664.2001.00569.x
  111. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1417301112
  112. https://www.facebook.com/groups/114605468588112/posts/4093909913990961/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.