Mating season for dingoes

VISITORS to Fraser Island are being urged to heed dingo safety information, consider staying in fenced campgrounds, and act responsibly around the animals.

VISITORS to Fraser Island this Easter are being urged to heed dingo safety information, consider staying in fenced campgrounds, and act responsibly around the animals.

Every year from March to May dingoes are mating, testing dominance, protecting territories and expelling intruders from other packs.

Adult dingoes compete to mate and will fight to protect their territory and some dingoes will also try to dominate humans by snarling, nipping or biting.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service regional manager Ross Belcher said there had been incidents of aggression from dingoes in the past few weeks.

He urged visitors to take particular caution this Easter holidays. Adults should stay close to children, including young teenagers. People should always walk in groups and never feed the dingoes, making sure they lock up food stores and iceboxes, pack away food scraps and store fishing bait correctly.

"Children should be supervised at all times and never be allowed to walk alone," Mr Belcher said.

"Families with children are strongly urged to camp in fenced campgrounds at Central Station, Dundubara, Lake Boomanjin, Dilli Village, and Waddy Point. Dingoes are not like domestic dogs. Despite their similarity to family pets, these are wild, unpredictable animals and people who ignore QPWS warnings do so at their own peril"

Feeding dingoes or leaving food exposed can attract fines of $300 or up to $4000.

Originally published as Mating season for dingoes