19-yr-old Woman Found Dead On Australian Beach, Body Surrounded By Pack Of Dingoes

19-yr-old woman found dead on Australian beach, body surrounded by pack of dingoes K’gari, Queensland A 19-year-old Canadian woman working and living on the popular Australian tourist island of K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) has been found dead on a beach, her body surrounded by a pack of dingoes, police say. The cause of her death remains under investigation. Authorities were alerted to the scene at around 6.35am local time on Monday after two men driving along 75 Mile Beach near the Maheno shipwreck spotted a group of about 10 dingoes surrounding what turned out to be the young woman’s body.
Police believe she may have gone for a swim around 5am before her body was found. Queensland Police Inspector Paul Algie described the scene as “very traumatic and horrific,” noting that there were markings on her body consistent with contact by the dingoes, but officials have not confirmed whether she drowned, was attacked by the animals, or died from another cause. A post-mortem examination has been scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
Rangers on K’gari are increasing patrols and have placed warning signs about dingo activity as authorities and wildlife officials monitor the situation. The woman had been on the island for about six weeks, working at a backpackers’ hostel and was reportedly with a friend at the time she told colleagues she was going swimming.
Police have contacted Canadian officials to assist the family with notification and support. K’gari, a UNESCO world heritage site and Australia’s largest sand island, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors yearly, but experts warn that dingoes — a protected native species are wild animals and can pose serious risks to humans when interactions occur.