# Dingoes, fairy penguins and other maligned creatues of my home **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [September 25, 2000, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dingoes-fairy-penguins-and-other-maligned-creatues-of-my-home/34460 "2000-09-25T14:44:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Snaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Snaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snaf)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2000, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dingoes-fairy-penguins-and-other-maligned-creatues-of-my-home/34460/21 "2000-09-27T03:48:12Z")
It was suggested in a newspaper column a few months ago that one of the judges presiding over one of the court cases thought it was more likely that someone’s pet dog attacked Azaria, rather than a dingo. Dingoes are generally wary of approaching large groups of humans, and some find the idea that one was brazen enough to enter a campsite, and then a tent, to drag off an infant unlikely. I must say I’m a touch mystified by the continuing American interest/obsession with this case. While it was certainly infamous in Aus at the time you don’t catch people here coming up with ‘dingoes eating babies’ comments routinely. The most recent one I’ve seen was an ascerbic comment about the Olympics opening ceremony by an American journalist, who thought it might’ve been improved had Nikki (young girl doing the trapeze bit during Deep Sea Dreaming) been attacked by dingoes. I love the ‘mauling fairy penguin’ concept though 😃 Snaf ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dingoes-fairy-penguins-and-other-maligned-creatues-of-my-home/34460/22 "2000-09-28T21:59:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JillGat \* > \*\*I did a web search on “Fairy Penguins” and didn’t find anything either. That’s because that name was created by the Australian Tourist Board public relations people about a year ago. If you want to learn more about this species, you have to search under the Latin name: _Eudyptula Minor_. You’ll find a number of sites there referencing the more historically common name for this breed, the Predaceous Ravagebird. Not a true penguin at all, it has teeth like a barracuda and can strip the meat and organs out of most mammals in no time, starting at the ankles and whittling its way up to the head. The first sight of this small bird is deceiving, giving it the edge in an attack. \*\* Well, at least that simplifies the “explanation to the folks at home.” Which would you rather? “Say Fred, why do your ankles look like they’ve gone through cheese grater?” A) “Oh, I was attacked by a fairy penguin on my vacation in Australia” or B) “I had to fight off a Predaceous Ravagebird Down Under, the buggers have got teeth like a barracuda!” ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dingoes-fairy-penguins-and-other-maligned-creatues-of-my-home/34460/23 "2000-09-29T00:40:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kelly1x \* > \*\*Interns?!! Cecil has interns? I wanna be an intern. I could bring coffee and provide massages and moral support. And he could practice his stinging witticisms on me. I’d clap every time. Sigh. It would be a dream come true. How does one apply for these positions? \*\* Well, first off you can’t be an “untouchable”. For example, **Cecil** certainly wouldn’t want ME as an intern. Una ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2000, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dingoes-fairy-penguins-and-other-maligned-creatues-of-my-home/34460/24 "2000-09-30T00:20:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dpr \* > \*\* Though they haven’t mentioned Dropbears yet picmr… \*\* Now that’s a bloody good point dpr. How did Australia’s the only forest dwelling creature known to be capable of unprovoked and lethal attacks on humans get off without any publicity, whilst Fairy Penguins get their reputation so besmirched? 😃 Might it be because it only attacks eco-tourists, who are perhaps more sanguine about being part of the food chain? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2000, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dingoes-fairy-penguins-and-other-maligned-creatues-of-my-home/34460/25 "2000-10-01T01:26:37Z")
Fairy Penguins ate my Dingo! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dingoes-fairy-penguins-and-other-maligned-creatues-of-my-home/34460.md?page=1)