Indigenous group outraged after Australia kills dingoes linked to backpacker’s death
Fears that killing of dingoes after backpacker’s death could create ‘extinction vortex’
- Australian authorities euthanised six dingoes on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) following the death of 19-year-old Canadian backpacker Piper James.
- Queensland officials stated the culling was for public safety after rangers observed aggressive behaviour from a pack believed to have surrounded James's body.
- A preliminary autopsy indicated James's death was consistent with drowning, but also found injuries consistent with dingo bites, though pre-mortem bites likely did not cause immediate death.
- The Butchulla people, K’gari’s traditional owners, expressed disappointment and frustration, stating they were not consulted before the dingoes were euthanised.
- Wildlife experts warned that culling could harm the island's genetically isolated dingo population, which already shows high levels of inbreeding, potentially leading to an 'extinction vortex'.