A dingo dragged a 10-year-old boy underwater in a recent attack on K'Gari, prompting a warning to travellers and tourists.
The dingo, also known as a wongari, grabbed the boy when he was walking alone at the water's edge near a camping area on the island's west coast on June 16, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service said today.
The predator dragged the boy under the water by the shoulder before his 12-year-old sister ran to his rescue.
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The family treated the boy for puncture wounds to his shoulder and arms, and scratches and bruises on his collar bone and arm.
"Thankfully he sustained no serious injuries, and when the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service offered medical assistance, the family declined," assistant principal ranger Danielle Mansfield said.
"Rangers identified the tagged wongari, and it was later seen loitering near the camping area, where it was digging up food scraps that had been buried in the sand."
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Rangers chased the animal away and have increased patrols in the area.
Mansfield said the wongari was highly habituated and was not showing any wariness of people.
"Rangers believe this animal is one of a number of wongari that have been deliberately or inadvertently fed which is why they're showing no fear of people," she said.
"These animals are capable of inflicting serious harm, and they have bitten children and adults, and some are quite brazen are not fleeing when yelled at or when someone brandishes a stick."
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The attack has prompted a warning for visitors to the popular Queensland tourist destination, which recently officially returned to its traditional name from "Fraser Island".
Mansfield said there were too many instances of children not being properly supervised on the island.
"On K'gari, this means children and teenagers must be within arm's reach of an adult at all times, even if you can't see any dingoes in the area."
Nor should dingoes be fed, intentionally or inadvertently.
"People who think it is harmless to throw a sausage or discarded bait or fish frame to the dingoes have caused the current and historic problems we are having with these dingoes," Mansfield said.
"Rangers have observed them lingering around camping areas and parked vehicles, and that means they're trying to solicit food from visitors because they've previously been fed."
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