Dales Campground, Karijini National Park: Mum fights off dingo as it attacks son, two

A mother bravely fought off a dingo that attacked and injured her two-year-old son in a remote national park in Western Australia.

The boy suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries when he was attacked by the dingo at Dales Campground in Karijini National Park around 7pm on Friday.

He has since been released from Tom Price Hospital, the WA Country Health Service said Sunday.

WA Prime Minister Mark McGowan told reporters this was “great news” as he praised the boy’s mother for her bravery.

“His mother fought bravely against the dingo so she deserves our congratulations and she is obviously a very brave person,” he said on Sunday.

Mr McGowan said dingo attacks were very rare and advice from park rangers was that the animal in question, if found, would be destroyed.

Parks and Wildlife Department rangers attempted to find and capture the wild dog on Saturday.

“Visitor safety is our number one priority,” the department said in a statement.

“Due to the dingo’s aggressive behavior and the fact that it remained at the campsite after the incident, rangers are preparing to humanely destroy the animal as soon as a safe opportunity arises.”

The department was unaware of another attack in that part of Karijini, a rugged national park half the size of Sydney.

“Signage and information at Dales Campground warn visitors that dingoes may be present and provide dingo safety advice,” it said.

The local government in the coastal town of Karratha warned last month that visitors often see dingoes in Karijini and other popular national parks, and that the animals can loot garbage bags and steal food from picnic tables.

“Dingos can harass and intimidate people while searching for food or water,” Karratha city said.