In September 2024, a river otter dragged a child underwater at a marina in Bremerton, Washington. While the child escaped with scratches and bites, this has not been the only attack recorded of the incredibly cute river otter.
“They’ll protect their mates, they’ll protect their young — they are like humans,” says Carin Wittnich, a senior scientist at the Oceanographic Environmental Research Society, a Canadian charity that focuses on aquatic species research.
Otter attacks can occur because of climate change, humans encroaching on formerly wild wetland areas, and in some cases, not enough public education on wildlife.
Otter Attacks are Rare
Wittnich and her colleagues published a pair of papers in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Otter Specialist Group Bulletin that surveyed scientific and news reports related to otter attacks.
