A toddler is in hospital with a fractured skull and cuts to his head and neck after a dingo dragged him from his bed on Queensland’s Fraser Island.
The boy’s family were camping in a remote area of the island – known as K’gari to the local Butchalla people – on Thursday night when two dingoes entered their campervan as they slept.
Paramedic Ben Du Toit said one of the dingoes bit the toddler’s neck and began dragging him away into the bush.
“The parents awoke with the toddler crying and heard the crying getting further away from the campervan,” Du Toit said.
The boy’s father ran outside to fight off the dingoes, and rescued his son from one of the animal’s jaws.
Paramedics treated the boy for two deep cuts on his neck near the back of his head, and some minor cuts on his head, before he was flown to Hervey Bay hospital about 3am on Friday.
He was also found to be suffering a fractured skull and about 8am the boy was transferred to Queensland’s children’s hospital in Brisbane.
He remained there in a stable condition on Friday afternoon.
The environment department brought in extra rangers to investigate the attack and patrol the island.
Principal ranger Daniel Clifton said dingo specialists were also attempting to identify the animals.
“We’re out there briefing campers … making sure they’re aware of the incident,” he told reporters.
Clifton said when dingoes interacted closely with people and had access to food, their behaviour changed.
“That does result in increased aggression and dingo activity,” he said.
He did not rule out having the responsible animals killed if they could be identified.
“[The decision] is taken with all the information gathered together, and in consultation with the Butchulla traditional owners,” he said.
Clifton said although dingo attacks on Fraser Island were uncommon, people should remain aware.
“Don’t approach dingoes, don’t feed dingoes, keep your children really close, especially if you’re not in a fenced area,” he said.
It was the third dingo attack on Fraser Island this year.
In February, a nine-year-old boy and his mother were admitted to hospital after a dingo pack chased them down and mauled them.
The previous month a six-year-old boy was bitten on the legs while camping with his family in the same area as the toddler who was attacked on Friday.