The Queensland government has announced that a pack of dingoes on K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) will be euthanised after being linked to the death of Canadian tourist Piper James. Environment Minister Andrew Powell stated on Sunday that the entire pack of 10 animals would be destroyed, citing an 'unacceptable public safety risk'. The 19-year-old's autopsy revealed injuries consistent with dingo bites, though drowning was the likely cause of death.
The Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation, which co-manages the island with the state government, said they were not consulted before the decision. Secretary Christine Royan described the move as a 'cull' and accused the government of disrespecting First Nations people. The dingoes, known as wongari, are sacred to the Butchulla and are part of K'gari's world heritage listing.
Six dingoes were destroyed on Saturday, with the remaining four to be euthanised. The Department of Environment said rangers observed aggressive behaviour from the pack. This is not the first cull on the island; a similar action followed the death of nine-year-old Clinton Gage in 2001, which was widely criticised.
Conservationists and the Butchulla blame overtourism for increased attacks. Central Queensland University's Bradley Smith called the cull 'irrational', warning it would devastate the dingo population, already at risk of extinction within 50 to 100 years. He argued that removing a whole family reduces genetic diversity and does not address human behaviour that leads to incidents.
