K'gari dingoes involved in death of Canadian backpacker Piper James euthanased
Queensland government officials have euthanized the dingoes involved in the death of Piper James. (ABC Wide Bay: Pat Heagney)
In short:
The Queensland government has put down six dingoes involved in the death of a Canadian backpacker on K'gari, with more to be culled in the coming days.
At least one dingo was observed behaving aggressively towards a camper in the past week, Environment Minister Andrew Powell said.
What's next?
Traditional owners say they were not consulted about the decision and are considering legal action.
Queensland government officers have euthanased dingoes involved in the death of a Canadian backpacker on K'gari.
The body of Piper James was found surrounded by a pack of approximately 10 dingoes on K’gari’s Eastern Beach on January 19.
A coroner's report found the 19-year-old was bitten by dingoes before she died, but drowning was the most likely cause of death.
A pack of dingoes walks on the beach north of Eurong in January 2019. (Supplied: Andrew Richter)
Environment Minister Andrew Powell said six out of a pack of approximately 10 dingoes had already been euthanized, with more to be put down in the coming days.
He said rangers had received advice from the Queensland coroner that dingoes had played a role in Ms James's death.
Since her body was found, at least one of the dingoes had been observed showing aggressive behaviour towards a camper on K'gari, Mr Powell said.
"This is a tough decision, but I believe it is a decision the department has made in the interests of public safety," he said.
"And I want to reassure all stakeholders, particularly our tourism operators on K'gari-Fraser Island, that the island is open, that we do encourage people to continue to visit this spectacular wonderland."
Mr Powell said there were no immediate plans to cull any further dingoes, but the dingo management strategy for K'gari would be reviewed following the latest incident.
A Department of Environment spokesperson said rangers had "closely monitored" the pack of dingoes since Ms James's death.
"Following the initial autopsy findings, this pack's involvement in the incident, and observations since, this pack has been deemed an unacceptable public safety risk," the spokesperson said.
"Public safety is our top priority, and this decision is informed and in the public interest."
Andrew Powell says the decision was the right call and in the public interest. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)
Traditional owners not consulted
K'gari traditional owner group the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation said it was not consulted about the dingo cull.
Director Christine Royan said she was informed shortly before the public announcement was made on Sunday afternoon.
Christine Royan says traditional owners were not consulted about the decision to euthanase the dingoes. (ABC Wide Bay: Nikki Sorbello)
"We've got a process in place, we didn't even get consulted," she said.
Ms Royan said she was considering bringing legal action against the government.
"I'm calling on the premier to actually look at the mismanagement of K'gari by Queensland Parks and Wildlife," she said.
"This is the beginning of the process, and if it means we have to go and get petitions and we have to bring in the Conservation Act [by which the dingoes] are supposed to be protected — they didn't have a chance."
Mr Powell said he supported his department's decision to go ahead with the cull without consulting traditional owners.
"I''m backing my experts on the ground, the rangers that are there each and every day," he said.
"They've come to this decision on the advice from the coroner, on the observations of the pack involved and clearly in the interest of public safety."
Mr Powell said any threat of legal action was a matter for the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation.
Angela James says Piper loved animals and would not want any harmed as a consequence of her death. (Supplied: Angela James)
Speaking on Saturday, Piper James's mother Angela James said her daughter loved animals, and any harm visited upon dingoes as a consequence of her death would be against her wishes.
"Her father and I would like to stress that [a cull] is the last thing Piper would want," she said.
"She loved all animals, no matter what.
"She wouldn't want anything done to [the dingoes]; they were there first.
"She knew that."
Mr Powell expressed his sympathies to Ms James's family, but said he supported the rangers' decision.
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