Drowning after a dingo attack has been ruled the official cause of death of a 19-year-old Canadian backpacker on K’gari, Australia.
Piper James was found surrounded by a pack of 10 dingoes on a beach near a campsite where she was living and working early on January 19, prompting an investigation into the nature of her death.
A spokesperson for the Coroners Court of Queensland said James died “as a result of drowning in the setting of multiple injuries, due to, or as a consequence of a dingo attack”.
“The investigation into Piper’s death is ongoing, and no further information can be provided at this time,” the spokesperson said.
James’ father Todd told The Courier-Mail he had spoken to his daughter the day before her death, and that she was “respectful” of dingoes and the danger they pose.
“She loved being where she was, but maybe she let her guard down. Bad things can happen,” he said.
“She loves animals, we got all the pictures of the kangaroos, but she was respectful of the dingoes. Since she was six she always wanted to travel to Australia, I just always remember her and her girlfriend planning a trip.”
James’ close friend Taylor Stricker, who had been traveling with her at the time, remembered her travel companion as a person who “showed up without question” through life’s moments.
“Piper had the gentlest soul wrapped in the toughest shell, and loving her felt inevitable,” Stricker wrote on social media.
“She opened my eyes to the beauty of this world and taught me how to lean into life instead of standing on the edges of it.
“My friend, I will hold you with me in every sunset, every visit to the ocean, every fearless choice I make. You’ll always be my one and only Piper.”
Fraser Coast councillor John Weiland, who is the local representative for K’gari, a location he has been frequenting for the last 35 years, has witnessed dingo behavior change “quite dramatically”.
“They just don’t have a fear of people anymore. They’re not even cautious,” Weiland said.
“I’ve driven right up to one in the car and it’s come up, jumped up onto my door to have a smell in the window and then wandered off. They’re not bothered at all. And when they aren’t bothered by people and they’re hungry, that’s where we’re getting dangerous situations.”
Weiland said “meaningful increased protections for both dingoes and people” was an ongoing issue on the island, and euthanizing the animals in the aftermath of an incident was “very divisive.”
“When it comes to people’s safety, you can’t leave any door closed. You can’t take any chances. Zero injuries is the only acceptable total,” he said.
The last recorded fatal dingo attack on K’gari took place in 2001, when nine-year-old Clinton Gage was killed by a pair of dingoes after being separated from his mother near Waddy Point.
James’ parents have asked the Queensland coroner to review the policies governing the sharing of information by rangers about the risk of dingo attacks, the ABC reports.
A spokesperson from the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) said: “We extend our deepest sympathies to Piper James’ family and loved ones”.
“Visitor safety is always our highest priority, and we took a range of actions immediately in response to the incident,” a spokesperson said.
“People are reminded to always follow dingo safety advice to have a safe trip to K’gari.
All tour operators on K’gari are required to induct their staff on the department’s current dingo messaging.
A heightened dingo activity alert was issued on December 12 last year and all tour operators were notified.
These alerts are seasonal and occur several times a year on K’gari.
In response to Piper’s death, additional staff were deployed to the island to increase patrols and engage with the community after the incident.
Eight of the 10 dingoes involved in the incident have since been euthanized.
“Dingoes are pack hunters. They are apex predators in the island’s ecosystem and need to be treated with respect and safety in mind,” the department’s website reads.
“They should never be confused with domestic pets and do not obey commands from people.”
The department also recommends keeping a distance, carrying a “safety stick” when walking out in the open, and staying in groups as much as possible.
Since the incident, the campgrounds have remained closed.
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