Local dingo expert Luke Cooper - who says the pictures of the dingoes are “great photos” and Newsport’s coverage was “advantageous reporting on them’’ - is now making moves to try to prevent the capture and destruction of the animals.

Mr Cooper says the Newsport article alerted him to the plans to trap and destroy the animals.

"Whelping season so we are definitely seeing dingoes all over the place as they are developing the skills to live a wild life,'' his initial comments said.

"Amazing animals... watch from a distance and do not feed. There are no traps set for them, have spoken with the council. Great photos of them. Dingoes need to be embraced as our only native land based apex predator.''

But Mr Cooper later told Newsport that given when he last spoke with council they had no plans on doing any culling or any trapping unless due cause, he was trying to find out what had changed for there to be a trapping program already in place.

“Dingoes are very close to being protected and, in fact, the groups I work with have succeeded in protection in Myall, NSW, North West Victoria and parts of Western Australia and Northern Territory.’’

Mr Cooper is well aware of the population of dingoes in Port Douglas and of the purity as he is the only person to have tested them from the Cassowary Coast, Cairns region and Douglas Shire.

“Dingo cubs are now venturing out more, learning how to hunt etc,’’ Mr Cooper said.

“This will slow down and is purely seasonal. I ask people to keep their distance, do not feed them, they know how to find food and please, please do not chase them.

“With the right education this will definitely slow the level of concern. We are not dealing with a species that hunts or actively attacks humans,’’ he said.

“They are not considered dangerous animals unless habituated… being fed and then getting used to seeing humans as something that brings food.’’

There was widespread backlash from readers to Newsport reporting on two dingoes that were seen boldly mixing with traffic in an unidentified suburban street.

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Some readers were critical of the media outlet for publishing photographs supplied by an environmental advocate of the dingoes that the same commentators say are much loved and harmless, but need to be kept secret.

Some of those commentators suggested they knew where the traps had been placed, with others suggesting to “disable” the traps. 

Keithea Schaedler wrote: “Is this article really necessary? Most of us are aware of what happened a year ago when there was publicity such as this about the location of a dingo which resulted in the DSC killing it.’’

Belinda Cole said: “Please don't share your images and locations; some moron will try to kill them’’, a consideration of many posting comments on Newsport’s Facebook page under the article which included reference to the destruction of a dingo in September, 2023.

While Astrid StarSeed said: “This is sooo annoying, why do you need to write an article on this? Last time this happened the council killed them. Stop. These are our dingos.’’

But other commentators may have cast light on why there were active moves to catch dingoes for weeks before Newsport shared the story.

“Regarding the local wild dingoes, our family pet, a small Maltese dog, was attacked defending her home,’’ Bon White wrote.

“Many thousands of dollars spent at vet’s saved her. The wild creatures could be safely kept inside a fenced area to keep all safe.’’

Demi McCullough also reported an attack on her dogs: “ Our dogs got attacked by dingoes a couple weeks ago. Luckily came home and saw four of them and managed to chase them off.’’

And Agostino Arrigo added: “Lets talk about some of those dingoes pups being lured and now they are on the leash! Used as pets! Walking like a dog! The wild ones aren't being an issue to anyone. Will be sad if they get removed! As they are beautiful. In the other hand, the one on the leash should be removed from whoever captured them before something will happen.’’