Shocking twist! Man fined $2500 for feeding dingoes in K’gari
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Whether you're an experienced hiker or a dyed-in-the-wool nature lover, K'gari is an Australian paradise.
The lush, remote island off Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is home to some of the world’s most incredible flora and fauna.
But when a 58-year-old Queensland man was spotted feeding two dingoes in the Eastern Beach area of the island on September 7, things took a turn for the worse.
The man, who was trying to feed the animals locally known as ‘wongari’ by hand, quickly caught the attention of Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers. They handed him a hefty $2,476 penalty infringement notice a day later.
Mike Devery, the Manager of Compliance Optimisation, described the incident as a 'dangerous decision' because it could set a dangerous habit for the animals.
‘This man has made a dangerous decision to feed and interact with wongari, and his actions could cause legacy issues on the island.’
‘It can take one incident like this to set wongari on the path to habituation, and now these wongari have been fed, they might associate people with food,’ Devery pressed.
He implored visitors to the island to not feed the wild animals, because it could make them associate humans with food, and potentially put lives at risk.
'One wongari that is becoming habituated can influence their pack—this man has fed two of them and we make no apology for handing out fines to people for their irresponsible behaviour,' Devery said.
'Our number one priority is to keep people on K'gari safe and conserve the population of wongari and this man has potentially put lives at risk.’
If you’re planning a trip to K'gari, please remember that feeding the dingoes is not only a punishable offence but a danger to them and you.
Rangers have intensified their surveillance of the dingoes to prevent them from becoming overly familiar with humans. This increased monitoring aims to maintain a safe distance between dingoes and human activities.
If you see anyone attempting to feed the dingoes, report the incident to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service by calling (07) 4127 9150 or emailing [email protected].
What are your thoughts on the man’s decision to feed the dingoes? We want to know what you think in the comments below!
The lush, remote island off Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is home to some of the world’s most incredible flora and fauna.
But when a 58-year-old Queensland man was spotted feeding two dingoes in the Eastern Beach area of the island on September 7, things took a turn for the worse.
The man, who was trying to feed the animals locally known as ‘wongari’ by hand, quickly caught the attention of Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rangers. They handed him a hefty $2,476 penalty infringement notice a day later.
Feeding dingoes at K’gari will land you a hefty fine, according to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service ranges. Credit: Shutterstock
Mike Devery, the Manager of Compliance Optimisation, described the incident as a 'dangerous decision' because it could set a dangerous habit for the animals.
‘This man has made a dangerous decision to feed and interact with wongari, and his actions could cause legacy issues on the island.’
‘It can take one incident like this to set wongari on the path to habituation, and now these wongari have been fed, they might associate people with food,’ Devery pressed.
He implored visitors to the island to not feed the wild animals, because it could make them associate humans with food, and potentially put lives at risk.
'One wongari that is becoming habituated can influence their pack—this man has fed two of them and we make no apology for handing out fines to people for their irresponsible behaviour,' Devery said.
'Our number one priority is to keep people on K'gari safe and conserve the population of wongari and this man has potentially put lives at risk.’
Feeding dingoes may teach them to associate humans with food. Credit: Shutterstock
If you’re planning a trip to K'gari, please remember that feeding the dingoes is not only a punishable offence but a danger to them and you.
Rangers have intensified their surveillance of the dingoes to prevent them from becoming overly familiar with humans. This increased monitoring aims to maintain a safe distance between dingoes and human activities.
If you see anyone attempting to feed the dingoes, report the incident to the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service by calling (07) 4127 9150 or emailing [email protected].
What are your thoughts on the man’s decision to feed the dingoes? We want to know what you think in the comments below!
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