Dingo Safe 

Staying

Dingoes are Australia’s top order predators, and they play a vital role in our natural environment keeping ecosystems balanced. When spending time in known dingo territory, it is important to know how to move through the landscape safely, ensuring dingo and human interactions are avoided or do not become negative ones. Dingoes pose little to no threat to humans in almost all cases.

Avoiding dingo interactions

Dingoes are naturally wary of humans, and as a result it is unlikely that you will see one in the wild in mainland Australia. Generally, dingoes will do their best to avoid contact with humans as we are a potential threat in their environment. However, if you plan on spending time in dingo territory, there are a number of steps you can take to further reduce the likelihood of interacting with a dingo.

Some general steps you can follow to reduce your likelihood of an interaction include:

  1. Store food securely to not attract dingoes:
    Leaving food scraps in known dingo territory can attract dingoes to where you are. Dingoes are often on the lookout for food and can chew through or break into almost anything when on a scent. When camping in areas that dingoes inhabit, secure eskies and storage with heavy duty straps.

  2. When fishing in known dingo territory, store fishing gear securely to not attract dingoes:  
    Store fishing gear in secure, sealed buckets and containers to not attract dingoes to where you are. 

Ensuring interactions
don’t become negative

Sometimes, in rare cases, interactions happen despite precautions being taken. In these times, there are steps that can be taken to ensure these interactions do not become a negative one.

  1. Do not feed dingoes:
    Feeding a dingo can contribute to them becoming habituated or learning to associate people with food. This can lead to dingoes dominance testing humans for food and increase the likelihood of a negative interaction.

  1. Stay calm and do not run:
    Running induces dingoes chasing instincts and may increase your chance of a dingo interaction.

  2. Maintain eye contact:
    This can intimidate dingoes and reduce their likelihood of attacking. 

  3. Stand at your full height and fold your arms:
    Standing at your full height can ensure you are more intimidating to dingoes. Folding your arms eliminates limbs that dingoes could bite or latch onto.

  4. If possible, move out of the space:
    If it feels safe to do so, slowly take steps backwards to move out of harm's way preferably to a car or a fenced area.
    Make sure to continue facing the dingo whilst doing this.

Image: Michelle J Photography