A child in Washington state had a close encounter with a river otter that pulled them underwater during a morning walk with their mother at Bremerton Marina in Kitsap County. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reported that the otter attacked both the child and the mother, who managed to rescue her child from the water despite the otter’s continued aggression.
River otters are known to be territorial and can exhibit aggressive behavior. In this incident, the otter managed to pull the child underwater. The mother, in a desperate attempt to save her child, was able to lift them back onto the dock while the otter continued its attack.
The mother suffered a bite to her arm, while the child sustained scratches and bites to the head, face, and legs. The otter continued to pursue the family even as they fled the dock area. The child, whose identity has not been disclosed, received treatment at a local hospital.
“We are grateful the victim only sustained minor injuries, due to the mother’s quick actions and child’s resiliency,” said WDFW Sergeant, Ken Balazs. He also expressed gratitude to the Port of Bremerton for their swift coordination and communication with their marina tenants.
Following the incident, the WDFW coordinated with the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to trap and lethally remove river otters from the marina. One otter was trapped at the scene and will be tested for rabies at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar attack in Malaysia, where a woman was mauled by a group of eight otters during a jog. Last year, a woman in Montana was airlifted to the hospital after being attacked by otters during a kayaking trip on the Jefferson River near Bozeman.
The victim, Jen Royce, had half of her ear chewed off by the otter. “The water was definitely where they excelled in their attack and we were helpless. I tried to kick it away but I would just get attacked somewhere else,” she shared on social media.