Motivated by a cute social media post, the behaviour of some visitors to Queensland's K'gari is under scrutiny after the dingo involved in a recent attack was euthanised.
Queensland Environment Minister Leanne Linard visited the popular wilderness destination on Wednesday after the latest in a string of serious encounters between the protected animals and people.
While rangers make a significant effort to teach visitors how to stay safe and ensure dingoes don't expect food or lose natural fear of humans, Ms Linard said the message did not always get through.
She said two women were recently fined for "getting really close to get selfies and videos" in a trend that has become an ongoing issue.
"Parks and Wildlife knew about that because they uploaded those videos," Ms Linard told ABC Radio on Thursday.
She said in one case a woman approached three sleeping pups.
"I'm sure they were very cute, but there would have been a mother nearby, and any mother will defend their child and their babies really voraciously," Ms Linard said.
The fines were more than $2000 each and can go as high as $12,000 for inappropriate interactions with dingoes.
"It's not like either of those travellers to the island could say, 'We didn't know'," Ms Linard said.
"There is signage everywhere on the island, so that is an ongoing challenge."
Both the deliberate and unintentional feeding of the animals is also a problem.
"There's a misconception that because they can look quite skinny that they are starving or hungry," Ms Linard said.
"Unlike a domestic dog that sits in your backyard, like my german shepherd, these animals can cover very large terrain.
"That is normal body mass for them, they are lighter, they are not starving, there Is a lot of food source on the island for them."
Asked about potentially capping visitor numbers to the island, the minister said numbers were effectively controlled through the issuing of vehicle and camping permits.
The dingo destroyed on Wednesday was one of at least three involved in the attack on a 23-year-old woman while she was jogging on the beach on Monday.
The animals chased the woman into the water at Orchid Beach, before two men in a 4WD rushed to her aid.
She was taken to hospital with numerous bites.
"What rangers said to me yesterday when I asked about the subject dingo was that he has exhibited aggressive behaviour, and it was their assessment that that would highly likely be the case again," Ms Linard said.
"It would have been difficult for them, they would have to attract the animal and then obviously euthanise it, but they also understand the importance of ensuring that animals like this, if they're habituated, can cause ongoing risks to people on the island."
