The authorities of Queensland, Australia, are on alert after the very dangerous behavior of many tourists towards the dingoes of Fraser Island (or K’gari). As CNN reports this Fridayseveral young women have thus taken selfies or videos in the company of these wild animals, at the origin of several attacks in recent months.
Two of them were fined 1,500 dollars following the publication of their photos on social networks. One thus posed, lying in the middle of sleeping baby dingoes. “She was lucky the mother of the pups wasn’t nearby,” said Queensland Department of Environment and Science staff Mike Devery.
The euthanized dingo
The second tourist pinned shared a video in which we can see her having fun with the attitude of a dingo, very close to her, on the beach. However, this one shows the fangs and seems to challenge the young woman of 25 years. “Warrigals (indigenous name for the animal) are wild animals and should be treated as such. This woman was lucky that the situation did not degenerate, ”says Mike Devery.
The dingo in question was also euthanized because he was responsible for an attack on a jogger, which occurred on the beach last Monday. The 23-year-old woman was badly bitten on her arms and legs and had to be hospitalized. Authorities say the animal was also involved in the attack on a 6-year-old girl in recent weeks.
The behavior of tourists pointed out
Incidents involving warrigals, a species of wild dog, have increased in Queensland. A bathing man and woman were recently rescued by rangers and tourists respectively. relay The Guardian.
For Fraser Island ranger manager Danielle Mansfield, the dingoes are getting close to people because they are no longer afraid and have been used to being fed. However, this practice is strictly prohibited. The rangers try to prevent tourists from approaching the warrigals, in vain. It is however a question of security but also of preservation of the species. Because aggressive dingoes must then be euthanized.
Queensland Environment Minister Leanne Linard traveled to the island on Wednesday to remind people of the rules around wild dogs, including the one prohibiting feeding them. “There’s a misconception that because they can look quite skinny, they’re starving,” she said. This is a normal body mass for them, they are lighter, they don’t starve. »