Child Attacked by River Otter in Washington

A river otter dragged a young child off a dock and underwater in a rare attack at a marina in Washington State.

According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the attack happened at a dock at Bremerton Marina in Kitsap County on Thursday, September 12, while the child’s mother was nearby on the dock.

CNN reports that after the otter grabbed and submerged the child, the otter and the child resurfaced moments later and the mother was able to pull her child out of the water. But a news release from the WDFW says the otter continued to attack, biting the mother’s arm.

The otter continued to attack the family as they attempted to get off the dock, but they finally managed to escape. The child was taken to a hospital and treated for scratches and bites on top of the head, face and legs

Department of Fish and Wildlife Sergeant Ken Balazs praised the mother’s quick actions and child’s resiliency. After the incident, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services lethally removed an otter where the attacked happened and transported it to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab to be evaluated and tested for rabies.

“Although encounters with river otters are rare, they can be territorial and, like any wildlife, are inherently unpredictable,” the news release warned.

According to wildlife officials, there have been six documented incidents involving river otters and people in Washington State in the last decade.

Last year, an otter attacked three women as they rode on inner tubes down the Jefferson River in Montana. All three women received treatment for their injuries. One of the women suffered serious injuries and was flown to a hospital via helicopter.