Source: Tasmania Police
Issued: 2 Jul 2025
This dingo has removed the lid from a jar of peanut butter found in rubbish.
Dingoes will tear open tents and containers to access food and rubbish.
Photos of damaged tents show the incredible sense of smell dingoes have, and their capacity for opportunistic feeding in the camping areas on K’gari.
Taken by rangers from the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), the photos show the results of food and rubbish being incorrectly stored by campers.
Dr Linda Behrendorff said dingoes recently gorged themselves on accessible food and rubbish after breaking into a tent and then began hanging around the camping area.
“Dingoes are opportunistic by nature and have torn open tents, can chew eskies open and knock over bins before ripping rubbish bags apart,” Dr Behrendorff said.
“Wildlife scavenging around camping areas is a common occurrence, and the problem with leaving food or rubbish where dingoes or other wildlife can get it makes them less fearful of humans.
“Dingoes don’t differentiate between food and rubbish, and they can start approaching people for food which puts dingoes and people at risk.
“Even in fenced areas, campers must ensure that all food and rubbish is stored in strong, secure containers and kept in an inaccessible place, such as a vehicle cabin or an enclosed ute tray.
“A tent or annexe is not a secure place, and dingoes have also taken people’s belongings such as clothing, toiletries or shoes that carry the smell of food.
“Fishers should bury fish frames and unused bait at least 50cm deep in the sand to prevent dingoes digging it up.
“During the school holidays, we’re asking everyone to secure your camping area, secure your food and shoo dingoes away if they’re lingering nearby.”
Bins are provided on K’gari, and people are encouraged to use bins properly and never leave bags of rubbish beside bins.
Reasons to prevent dingoes getting access to food and rubbish:
- Opportunistic feeders: They will eat a wide variety of foods, including rubbish.
- Habituation: Feeding dingoes or leaving food unattended can lead to them losing their natural fear of humans and becoming familiar and habituated to human-provided food, making them more likely to scavenge.
- Food availability: There is plenty of natural food for dingoes on K’gari. They are opportunistic predators, and if food is readily available in the form of rubbish, they will likely scavenge for it, especially if it is easier to obtain than hunting.
- Never feed dingoes: It is illegal and can have serious consequences for both people and dingoes.
- If dingoes don’t find food at your camping area, they are more likely to hunt or scavenge for natural food.
It is an offence to deliberately or inadvertently feed dingoes. On the spot fines include $2,580 for deliberately feeding a dingo and $464 for food availability. The maximum court-imposed penalty for feeding dingoes is $26,614.