The 23-year-old was photographed feeding a dingo by a bystander while waiting for a ferry on the island of K’gari (Fraser Island), about 250 kilometres north of Brisbane.
But the act of feeding the wild canine has cost the man $2,300 after an investigation by Queensland’s Department of Environment and Sciences (DES).
The event took place in April, but the investigation only wrapped up this week.
“A member of the public told rangers the man was at the front of the vehicle line while he was waiting for the ferry at Hook Point back in April,” Mike Devery, DES compliance manager, said in a statement.
“The person said the man was ‘brazenly’ feeding the wongari (dingo in local dialect), and given his place at the front of the queue, his offending was witnessed by multiple people.
“Thankfully, the member of the public was able to take photos of the man as he fed the wongari, and they provided them to rangers.”
When questioned, the man admitted to throwing biscuits onto the ground for the wongari to eat while he was cleaning his vehicle.
The $2,300 fine is not the worst it could have been for the man, as a court can impose a fine of up to $11,500 for feeding the wild canines.
The rules are in place to protect both the animals and people who live and visit the island.
We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waterways on which we live, work and play. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.
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