Why department has zero tolerance for dingo interaction on Fraser Island

With high risk incidents common, the Department of Environment and Science issues stern warning to people visiting Fraser Island.

A dingo lazing about on Fraser Island.

Human interaction with dingoes on Fraser Island is an illegal but regular occurrence, and the Department of Environment and Science is reminding people that there is zero tolerance for such incidents.

Since the start of the year, there have been 12 “risk incidents”, with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Rangers issuing 10 dingo-related penalty infringement notices.

A mix of locals and visitors to the island have been caught doing the wrong thing.

A spokesman for the department said QPWS rangers take a zero-tolerance approach to people doing the wrong thing when it comes to feeding and interacting with dingoes on the island.

“QPWS reminds visitors and residents on the island never to feed or interact with dingoes, and secure all food and rubbish,” he said.

“When dingoes lose their natural wariness of people, they can loiter around campsites and townships.

“A fed dingo is a habituated dingo, and they can become aggressive and attack people when seeking food. This can lead to the dingo being euthanised.

“These incidents occur because people deliberately or inadvertently feed dingoes, and interact with them.

“Rangers, the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation and QPS routinely provide dingo-safe messaging to residents and visitors to the island.”

The spokesman said the Queensland Government was committed to supporting a sustainable and healthy dingo population and visitors to Fraser Island were reminded to be dingo safe at all times, and not feed or interact with the animals.