• Body of a Canadian young woman surrounded by wild dogs
• Authorities continue investigation into cause of death, noting marks on the body

Australian authorities have found the body of a 19-year-old Canadian woman, surrounded by a pack of wild dogs known as "dingoes," on a popular beach on K’Gari Island, located off the eastern coast of Australia, according to a statement from Queensland Police.

The police explained that the body was discovered at 6:30 a.m. local time on Monday, after two men driving along the beach noticed about ten wild dogs surrounding an object that was later identified as a woman’s body, according to Inspector Paul Algie speaking to local media.

Algie added that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of death, noting that it is not yet clear whether she died from drowning or from an attack by the dogs.

He also pointed out marks on the body “consistent with having been touched and interfered with by the dingoes.”

The inspector noted that the woman, who had been working at a backpacker’s hostel for six weeks, had told friends she planned to go for a morning swim at 5:00 a.m., according to a local newspaper report.

Algie described the incident as tragic, saying: “She was a young woman enjoying the beauty of the area, and that is what makes this incident even more tragic.”

A post-mortem is scheduled for Wednesday.

The body was found near the wreck of the Maheno ship, which sank and was washed ashore in 1935, and its remains have since become a popular tourist destination.

The area is known for its population of wild dingoes, which are a protected species in Queensland national parks as a native species.

Inspector Algie warned residents and visitors to avoid approaching the animals, stressing: “Dingoes are wild animals, and although they hold cultural significance for the island’s Indigenous residents and inhabitants, they remain wild and must be treated as such.”