Canadian Backpacker Dies in Dingo Attack

Piper James, a 19-year-old Canadian backpacker, died as a result of drowning following a dingo attack at K'gari, the Queensland coroners court has said. The court determined that Piper's cause of death was 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 19-year-old's trip to Australia ended in tragedy when she was found dead on a beach in January on the world heritage-listed island formerly known as Fraser Island off the Queensland coast. The coroners court said in January that the autopsy had found physical evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites. Pre-mortem dingo bite marks are not likely to have caused immediate death, and there are extensive post-mortem dingo bite marks.

The incident has sparked concerns about overtourism and its impact on the island's ecology. The Butchulla and conservationists have long blamed overtourism for dingo attacks on the island. Following James' death, the Queensland government announced that the entire pack of 10 dingoes linked to the tragedy would be euthanised, leading dingo experts to warn of an extinction vortex for Australia's only native canid on the island.