The Fraser Island Dingo - How many are there ?

The most recent study I could find was conducted in 2011. The current population is estimated to be around 200 animals living in around 30 dingo packs (family groups) Generally a pack consists of between 4 and up to 12 individuals. Numbers will increase during the breeding season and decline due to natural attrition. Numbers will fluctuate over years and seasons depending on food resources and territory in which to live. On Fraser Island you are quite likely to see a Dingo in its native habitat - however, with all wild animals, sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Dingo Saftey

People need to be aware that Dingoes are wild animals and sometimes unpredictable. Children are especially at risk as they are smaller than adults and perhaps an easier target than adults - when on Fraser Island it’s important to keep an eye on your kids. Rules have been put in place to protect both the Dingoes and the human visitors that love to visit Fraser Island. Rules prohibit feeding or approaching dingoes, keep a safe distance and to dispose of rubbish and food scraps correctly. There are heavy penalties so please take heed. 

Dingo Prints on the sand

It can be fun for kids to track the recent departures of dingos on the sand, easy to see if they have been out hunting on the beach overnight. Also it's very common to see dingoes down on the beach at sunset and sunrise, they will be wading around at the edge of the water, looking for crabs and washed up fish carcases.

Dingo Update 2021 after the fires

As of 2021 there are great concerns that the fires of late 2020 have had a devasting impact on the local dingo population of Fraser Island. However, there are clear signs that our iconic Fraser Dingo has survived and is still found in good numbers on the Island. There are serious concerns that the fires did have an impact on local wildlife and therefore made the dingoes natural food supply harder to find. Unfortunately, this has created an increasing reliance that the Dingoes are now increasingly foraging around humans for food and scraps. Now more than ever when camping on the Island it's very important that everyone takes Dingo safety seriously, they are wild animals and can be very unpredictable.