Dingo attack

A dingo on K'gari in Queensland.

Dingo attacks on humans are rare in Australia, and when they do occur are generally on young children.[1][2] However, dingoes are much more of a danger to livestock, especially to sheep and young cattle.[3] The 5,614-kilometre-long (3,488 mi) Dingo Fence was constructed in Southeast Australia to protect the livestock there from attacks.[4]

Wild dogs are fairly large predators, but are much smaller than able-bodied adults and therefore not generally much of a threat to them. However, they can be a serious threat to incapacitated, isolated, outnumbered, or very small humans, especially infants and young children.[5][6][7]

Humans and dingoes generally tend to avoid each other. In some situations, however, such as on K'gari and some locations in the Northern Territory, close interaction between dingoes and humans, especially feeding dingoes, has led to dangerous habituation and attacks.[1]

Dingo attacks on livestock, however, are fairly common occurrences and a serious concern for the Australian livestock industry.[3]

  1. ^ a b "Australia orders urgent review after spate of dingo attacks". phys.org. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Dingoes on Fraser Island-K'gari losing their natural fear of humans, says local mayor". Australia: ABC News. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b Levy, Max G. (20 October 2020). "Wacky tube men could keep dingoes away from livestock in Australia". Science | AAAS. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  4. ^ Fisher, Adrian G.; Mills, Charlotte; Letnic, Mike; Lyons, Mitchell; Cornwell, Will (24 February 2021). "Australia's dingo fence from space: satellite images reveal its effects on landscape". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  5. ^ Hiscock, Geoff (5 June 2019). "Dingo Attacks Force Policy Review in Australia". U.S. News. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Boy, 4, bitten by dingo in second attack on Fraser Island in weeks". Australia: ABC News. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Australia dingo attack: toddler airlifted to hospital after being bitten on Fraser Island". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.