Wild predators that attack people represent a significant challenge to the management authorities charged with conserving populations whilst minimising human safety risk. Fraser Island is home to an iconic population of dingoes (Canis dingo). However, conflict stemming from negative human–dingo interactions (incidents), some resulting in serious human injury and in one case, a fatality, is an ongoing concern. In an effort to highlight important factors influencing incident dynamics, we investigated the most serious incident reports gathered by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for the period 2001–15. We found a consistent pattern of incidents peaking in March/April and also July, corresponding with dingo breeding and whelping seasons (respectively). Monthly vehicle permit numbers (a proxy for visitation) were not positively correlated with incident rates, except during the breeding season. Male dingoes, particularly subadult males, featured heavily in incidents. Despite the fatality being highly publicised and the advent of copious on-site warning messages and other management interventions, serious incidents continue to occur annually, including some involving children. This suggests that risks are either not always understood, or are otherwise being ignored. While our results demonstrate that dingoes generally pose minimal risk to humans, some risk remains, particularly where poorly supervised children are concerned.

Occasionally, interactions between dingoes (Canis dingo) and people on Fraser Island result in serious injury, and, in one case, death. The risk to human safety from such interactions may be mitigated if people could carry a suitably defensive repellent, similar in principle to bear (Ursus spp.) repellent spray advocated in North America. In the first step towards searching for suitable stimuli that might be used as repellents with dingoes, we observed the responses of nine dingoes to three stimuli during interactions with a researcher on Fraser Island. Two treatment stimuli were assumed to be potentially aversive (an air horn blast and a water jet from a motorised water pistol), and one was considered unlikely to be aversive and therefore suitable as a control (a whistle being blown). Responses to the stimuli varied. All nine dingoes were initially presented with the whistle; however, only one adult male responded as if the whistle was aversive. Seven of the nine dingoes were later presented with a whistle and treatment stimuli together. None of the seven dingoes were repelled during any air horn treatment trials; however, six of seven dingoes (all juveniles) were repelled by the water pistol stimulus. Although a water pistol was effective at repelling young dingoes on many occasions, responses between individuals were inconsistent. Results from this pilot study suggest that a water pistol stimulus may offer some protection as a repellent to close approaches by young dingoes, particularly if enhanced with a mild irritant.

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Abstract. K'gari (Fraser Island) offers a rare opportunity for people to observe and encounter wild dingoes. Occasionally, however, such encounters can entail dingoes acting in a threatening or aggressive manner towards people, resulting in human injury and, in one tragic case, death. A suite of approaches aimed at minimising the risk to human safety posed by dingoes have been implemented on the island, including fencing, island-wide warning signage, and regulations against feeding. Despite such measures, negative encounters continue, and in cases where dingoes are deemed to pose an unacceptable risk, they are usually destroyed. In searching for non-lethal management alternatives, attempts have been made to modify undesirable dingo behaviour through aversive conditioning, but results to date have either been mixed or largely disappointing. Here we review a wide array of research that has utilised aversive stimuli in an effort to modify and manage the behaviour of wild animals, with a particular focus on related predators such as coyotes and wolves. We identified eight major categories of experimental research: conditioned taste aversion/avoidance (CTA), electric fencing, fladry, chemical repellents, fear-evoking stimuli, physical repellents, aversive collars/devices and hard release procedures. We then outline each of these categories in more detail, complete with pertinent examples of successes and failures as well as advantages and disadvantages. We conclude that some approaches offer promise within three main areas of incident mitigation experimentation: dingo exclusion (e.g. electric fencing), personal protection (mild chemical irritant sprays, sturdy umbrellas) and remedial aversive conditioning (e.g. shock collars). Other approaches, such as CTA and sublethal projectiles are not recommended. Like any approach, aversive conditioning is not a panacea, but it does offer promise in filling gaps in current management and as an alternative to lethal control.