A young child in Washington state narrowly escaped drowning after being pulled underwater by a river otter. The crazed critter also lashed out at the child’s mortified mother.
On Thursday morning at Bremerton Marina in Kitsap County, a young child was on the dock with their mother when an otter suddenly jumped out, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The agency reported that the frenzied furry fiend managed to drag the child into the depths. As the child momentarily resurfaced, the frantic mother hoisted them back onto the dock, even as the otter continued its relentless assault.
The mother suffered a bite on her arm, the department reported. Meanwhile, the nearly drowned child sustained scratches and bites on the scalp, face, and legs, from the otter attack.
It seems the enraged river beast had a taste for human flesh after the encounter. The department noted that the relentless otter pursued the mother and child as they hurried away from the dock area.
The child, whose identity remains undisclosed, received treatment at a local hospital.
Authorities Are Grateful the Nearly Drowned Child Escaped the Clutches of the Otter with Minor Injuries
WDFW Sergeant Ken Balazs weighed in on the near-deadly otter encounter.
“We are grateful the victim only sustained minor injuries, due to the mother’s quick actions and the child’s resiliency,” Sgt. Balazs explained. “We would also like to thank the Port of Bremerton for their quick coordination and communication to their marina tenants,” Sgt. Balazs added.
Of course, no animal attack goes unpunished. Humanity struck back quickly and with vicious, lethal precision.
Following the incident, officers from the WDFW reached out to the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to trap and humanely euthanize river otters at the marina. One otter was captured at the location and will undergo rabies testing at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab.
Per the WDFW, river otters are commonly found in Washington, inhabiting freshwater, brackish, and saltwater environments. These creatures are primarily aquatic but also spend considerable time on land. In Washington, river otters are classified as furbearers, meaning they are considered a game species that can be trapped. Encounters with these animals are rare; however, they can be territorial and, like all wildlife, may exhibit unpredictable behavior.
In the past decade, Washington has recorded six documented incidents involving humans and river otters.