4-year-old girl bitten by wongari on K’gari
Issued: 17 August 2024
Rangers on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) are monitoring a male dingo (wongari) responsible for biting a four-year-old girl around the chest on 17 August 2024.
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) was advised of the incident around 11:15am this morning, which occurred near NgKala Rocks on the eastern side of the island.
Rangers were told a large group were fishing with eight children ranging in age and dingoes were loitering nearby.
The dingo approached the girl and grabbed her around the chest area, causing lacerations, bruising and a puncture wound.
A nearby doctor examined the child and rangers advised the family to meet with paramedics from the Queensland Ambulance Service as a precaution.
The child has been flown from the island and taken to hospital as a precaution due to the abdominal area affected by the bite.
Rangers are investigating the incident and will continue patrols in the NgKala Rocks area and provide Be dingo-safe! messaging to fishers and campers.
Fishers are reminded that dingoes should never be allowed to linger nearby. Whenever approached by dingoes, fishers should move them on, especially from around children.
Visitors and residents on K’gari are reminded to remain vigilant at all times by keeping children at arm’s length, never walking alone and carrying a stick at all times.
Negative dingo encounters should immediately be reported to a QPWS ranger by calling 07 4127 9150 or emailing dingo.ranger@des.qld.gov.au
Visitors to K’gari are reminded to ‘Be dingo-safe!’ at all times:
- Always stay close (within arm’s reach) of children and young teenagers
- Always walk in groups and carry a stick.
- Camp in fenced areas where possible
- Do not run. Running or jogging can trigger a negative dingo interaction
- Never feed dingoes
- Lock up food stores and iceboxes (even on a boat)
- Never store food or food containers in tents, and
- Secure all rubbish, fish and bait.
View more information on K’gari dingoes