Humane cull of pack if we have to: Beattie – FRASER ISLAND DINGO ATTACK: [2 Edition]
Stefanie Balogh, John Stapleton. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 01 May 2001: 4.
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Abstract
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie and Environment Minister Dean Wells moved swiftly to order a risk assessment of the 160 dingoes on Fraser Island.
Mr Wells said between 30 to 40 dingoes had been destroyed on Fraser Island in the past decade.
Every visitor to the island is given a “Dingo Smart” brochure with their permit from the Environment Protection Agency, which warns them to keep their distance from dingoes, always stay with children and not to feed dingoes.
Full Text
THE risk of dingo attacks on Fraser Island will be assessed after yesterday’s fatal mauling.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie and Environment Minister Dean Wells moved swiftly to order a risk assessment of the 160 dingoes on Fraser Island.
Mr Beattie said the investigation was “to ensure as best and humanely as we can this never happens again”.
He said the Government would not hesitate to “destroy dogs that harass or are a threat to people”.
Part of the risk assessment will include whether feeding dingoes, which is prohibited on the island, has any effect on their behaviour.
The problem of dingoes on Fraser Island stretches back two decades when the number of visitors to the island began increasing.
Mr Wells said between 30 to 40 dingoes had been destroyed on Fraser Island in the past decade.
Dingoes were known to have been fed by humans for thousands of years on Fraser Island but the problem of them displaying aggression towards humans had been more noticeable since visitor numbers began increasing in the 1980s.
Problems may have increased after rubbish tips on the island were closed in 1995 and the dingoes were forced to scavenge elsewhere for food. Brumbies and goats were also removed from the island.
Mr Wells said: “There have been calls for culling since the animals have been turning more to humans for food with the tip closures because they have become more visible.
“A dingo awareness education campaign was launched in 1996 after the closure of the tips and the Dingo Management Strategy was developed to ensure awareness among island visitors to the danger of dingo interaction.”
Every visitor to the island is given a “Dingo Smart” brochure with their permit from the Environment Protection Agency, which warns them to keep their distance from dingoes, always stay with children and not to feed dingoes.
Illustration
Caption: Awareness:; Photo: Photo