A woman is recovering after she says an otter attacked her during her daily swim in Lake Tahoe, leaving her with dozens of stitches and requiring a series of rabies vaccinations.
According to CBS News, Lynnette Bellin was swimming near Hidden Beach in Incline Village when she suddenly felt something grab her leg and pull her underwater. “And it was so powerful I thought it was a human,” Bellin recalled. “I turned around, and I saw this otter, and it immediately started lunging at me and biting and scratching.”
Bellin said the animal repeatedly attacked her as she desperately tried to reach nearby rocks to escape.
Otter Continued Chasing Her After She Reached Shore
Bellin said the first group of rocks she reached was too slippery for her to climb onto. She screamed for help, but no one responded.
She eventually found another set of rocks and pulled herself out of the water. Even then, she said the otter continued circling below.
“Once I got out and he stopped pursuing me, he kept circling the area,” Bellin said. “I could hear his heavy breathing. It was very menacing.”
Victim Received 40 Stitches and Rabies Vaccinations
After making her way to a nearby beach, Bellin received assistance and was transported to a local hospital.
She underwent treatment for multiple bite and scratch wounds, receiving approximately 40 stitches. As a precaution, Bellin also began a series of rabies vaccinations.
Wildlife officials have not said what may have prompted the otter’s aggressive behavior.