A 4-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy were treated in the hospital after the attacks
Credit: DBCA
NEED TO KNOW
- Three children and a woman have been attacked by wild dogs at an Australian campground in the space of a week
- A 4-year-old girl, a 6-year-old boy and the girl’s mother were all treated at a nearby hospital, while another 6-year-old girl was left with no injuries
- The Western Australia Parks and Wildlife Service has issued a warning for tourists
A 4-year-old girl is among three children and a woman who have been attacked by wild dogs in an Australian national park in recent days, prompting authorities to issue a warning.
Three separate attacks have all taken place around Karijini National Park's Dales Campground, which is located in a remote area of Western Australia, the Western Australia Parks and Wildlife Service said in a statement.
Attacks by dingoes — wild dogs native to Australia — on humans are rare, but the three incidents at the campground all happened in the space of a week.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Credit: DBCA
The first incident occurred on Saturday, April 18 at about 8:00 a.m. local time, when an aggressive dingo approached a 6-year-old girl and "nipped" at her clothing, the authorities said, adding that she was not injured.
On the evening of Monday, April 20, a 6-year-old boy was also bitten on his neck and arm. His parents took him to Tom Price Hospital, about 60 miles away, for treatment.
Then, two days later, a dingo bit a 4-year-old girl on the leg. It then bit her mother while she was trying to protect her daughter.
Both of the wounded campers received first aid at the campground before being taken to Tom Price Hospital for further treatment.
Hamish Robertson, regional leader for conservation at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), said in a video shared with PEOPLE that rangers have been conducting daily patrols and that staff from the cities of Perth and Karratha "have been mobilised to support efforts to identify, isolate and humanely destroy the problem dingoes."
Credit: DBCA
While the campground remains open, Robertson urged visitors to "remain alert and exercise caution," and advised people to follow all safety advice from park staff, supervise their children and secure their food and waste.
"Anyone who has a dingo encounter in a Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions managed campground or park should report details to park staff or a campground host," the statement from the Western Australia Parks and Wildlife Service added.
Three years ago, two attacks on children at the national park saw a dingo "humanely destroyed" by rangers, ABC Australia reported at the time.
Earlier this year, a 19-year-old backpacker from Canada was found dead on a beach on the Australian island of K'gari, surrounded by a pack of dingoes. It was later confirmed that Piper James drowned after being attacked by the dogs.
Read the full article here
