Pack Of Dingoes Attacks Toddler & Parents Fight To Save Him
An Australian couple awoke to the bone-chilling screams of their 14-month-old son only to discover a pack of wild dingoes had descended on their camping van and attacked their child while they were sleeping.
“The parents woke up to the baby screaming and chased after him and had to fight the dingoes off to take the 14-month-old boy away,” LifeFlight pilot Frank Bertoli said as he explained what happened to local reporters.
He added, “He was grabbed around the back of the neck area and dragged away, so if it wasn’t for the parents and their quick thinking and fighting off the dingoes, he probably would have had more severe injuries.”
A helicopter from LifeFlight – an emergency air service – airlifted the boy and his mother early Friday morning after receiving a call about the attack. According to a representative of Queensland Health, the toddler was stable and conscious while receiving treatment.
The 14-month-old is currently receiving additional care at Queensland Children’s Hospital.
According to CNN, wild dingo attacks on Fraser Island is common as it is a popular place to go during the holidays.
Labeled as “Australia’s most capable predator,” the area is home to roughly 30 different packs of dingoes with each pack containing as many as 12 dogs.
A few months ago, a 6-year-old survived after he was attacked by a pack of wild dingoes. Back in 2001, the Queensland government had over 100 dingoes put to sleep on Fraser Island after they killed a 9-year-old during an attack.
Rescue personnel say a father fought off several dingoes to save his 14-month-old son from one that was dragging the boy from the family's campervan on an Australian island. https://t.co/JA7Jw2Fp06
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 19, 2019
CNN reveals environmental scientists do not believe the culling had much of an effect on how many wild dingoes live on Fraser Island. Moreover, the wild dog population reportedly shows signs of becoming more aggressive due to the influx of campers.
The most well-known dingo attack in Australia happened back in 1980 when the 2-month-old daughter of Lindy and Michael Chamberlain was snatched from their camp by a pack of wild dogs before being killed.
At the time, Lindy was arrested and charged with allegedly murdering her daughter. She, however, was determined to not be guilty of her daughter’s death.
To this day, many still believed Lindy killed her daughter. According to some Twitter chatter, this latest dingo attack has forced some to reconsider the possibility of dingoes attacking and killing a baby.
A 14-month-old boy has undergone surgery at the Queensland Children's Hospital, after a dingo dragged him from his campervan on Fraser Island. https://t.co/AUjbrUcvfK
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) April 19, 2019
According to ABC News, 40 rangers were dispatched today to locate the pack of wild dogs responsible for attacking the young boy. They, however, have yet to find the dingoes they believe to have been responsible for the attack.
Wildlife researcher Ben Allen admitted it was common for a wild pack of dingoes to venture onto a campsite and look for food, but the fact that they were “bold” enough to take a toddler is “concerning.”
The parents of the young boy have publicly thanked everyone who had anything to do with helping their son and assured them he was doing well considering how much worse the situation could have been.
