Two individuals stumbled upon a distressing scene as they discovered the body of a young woman surrounded by feral dogs on a beach. The 19-year-old was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the location.
According to authorities, the woman had gone for a swim around 5 am. Approximately 90 minutes later, two men driving by noticed around 10 dingoes encircling an object, as reported by 9News Australia.
Wide Bay District Inspector Paul Algie stated, “Upon closer examination, they realized it was a female individual at the scene.” He described the discovery as a highly dramatic and gruesome event for the witnesses.
The incident occurred on a beach north of Maheno Wreck on K’gari, an island in Queensland, Australia. Algie confirmed that the woman had injuries on her body consistent with dingo involvement.
The exact cause of death remains undetermined. Algie mentioned, “We cannot confirm whether this young lady drowned or was attacked by dingoes.” A post-mortem examination to ascertain the cause of death is scheduled in mainland Queensland.
The woman, a Canadian national, has not been identified yet. She had been residing on the island with a friend for six weeks and was employed at a backpackers’ hostel, as per news.com.au.
K’gari, also known as Fraser Island, is a World Heritage-listed sand island off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Authorities are collaborating with local officials and experts to understand the events surrounding the woman’s time on the beach.
Algie emphasized the wild nature of dingoes on K’gari and urged visitors to maintain a safe distance from them and refrain from feeding the animals. While dingoes are culturally significant, they are still wild animals that should be respected.
Though generally non-aggressive, there have been instances of dingoes attacking humans and pets. Aggressive dingoes are monitored by rangers, and tourists are advised by the Queensland government to avoid feeding dingoes, walk in groups, and carry a stick for safety against possible negative interactions.