Hero mom fights off dingo who attacked her 2-yr-old son as rangers vow to 'humanely destroy' dog
KARIJINI, AUSTRALIA: A mother of a two-year-old is being lauded for her "bravery" after she fought off a dingo that attacked her toddler at a remote national park in Western Australia. The two-year-old suffered serious injuries but not life-threatening and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
The tragic incident occurred on Friday, April 14, at Dales Campground in Karijini National Park. Fortunately, within two days, the boy was released from Tom Price Hospital, said the WA Country Health Service. Upon learning about the wild dog attack, Mark McGowan said that was "great news" and praised the boy's mother for her bravery. "His mother courageously fought off the dingo so she deserves our congratulations and she's obviously a very brave person," he said on Sunday.
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'The safety of visitors is our number one priority'
McGowan noted that dingo attacks were rare in the rugged national park, half the size of Sydney. He advised the park rangers that the animal in question when found would be destroyed. On Saturday Parks and Wildlife Department, rangers tried to hunt and trap the wild dog. "The safety of visitors is our number one priority," the department said in a statement, as per Daily Mail. "Due to the aggressive behavior of the dingo and the fact that it has remained at the campground following the incident, rangers are preparing to humanely destroy the animal as soon as a safe opportunity presents," McGowan added.
'Dingoes may harass and intimidate people'
The statement further added, "Signage and information at Dales Campground warn visitors that dingoes may be present and provides dingo safety advice," reported the source. Local government in the coastal town of Karratha also warned visitors last month about frequent appearances of dingoes that were seen in Karijini and other popular national parks. They claimed the animal could exhibit aggressive behavior when they raid rubbish bags and take food from picnic tables. "While searching for food or water dingoes may harass and intimidate people," the City of Karratha said.
In a similar incident, a 6-year-old girl was mauled by a dingo on April 3, while swimming in shallow water at Waddy Point Beach on Fraser Island, which is off the island's eastern coast of Australia, reported MEAWW. She was bitten on the head and received minor scrapes on her hands and puncture wounds near her ear and was taken to a hospital by a rescue helicopter with paramedics who also arrived on the scene. The girl underwent treatment at Hervey Bay Hospital in central Queensland and was later reported to be in stable condition.