There Otter Be a Law

 Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Kitsap County river otter incident

On Thursday, Sept. 12 at approximately 9:30 a.m., Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Officers received a report of a human-river otter incident that occurred at the Bremerton Marina in Kitsap County.

The victim’s mother reported that a river otter pulled her young child into the water as they were walking down the dock. The child was dragged underwater, and after a few moments, resurfaced. The child’s mother was able to lift the child out of the water while the otter continued to attack and was subsequently bit in the arm. The river otter continued to pursue the family as they left the dock. The child sustained scratches and bites to the top of the head, face and legs.

The child was treated for their injuries at a Silverdale 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. “We would also like to thank the Port of Bremerton for their quick coordination and communication to their marina tenants.”

WDFW Fish and Wildlife officers contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services to trap and lethally remove river otters from the marina. One river otter was trapped at the scene. The animal was transported to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab evaluation. The river otter tested negative for rabies.

River otters (Lontra canadensis) are relatively common throughout Washington and can be found in fresh, brackish, or saltwater habitats. The species is mostly aquatic, though they can spend considerable time out of water. River otters are classified as a furbearer in Washington, meaning they are a game species that can be trapped. Although encounters with river otters are rare, they can be territorial and, like any wildlife, are inherently unpredictable.

There have been six documented human-river otter incidents in Washington in the last decade.

Crystal Finn

But they're so cute! Remember, otters are in the same group of animals as wolverines, badgers and weasels.  They're ruthless predators with the teeth for the job.  At The Wrap, Succession’ Actress Bitten by Otters in Latest Bizarre Attack by the Aquatic Mammals

Crystal Finn, who played Lauren Pawson in the Season 4 “America Decides” episode of “Succession,” is the latest victim in a series of bizarre otter attacks in Northern California.

Finn, who also has a role in Pamela Adlon’s upcoming directorial debut, was swimming in the Feather River near Plumas National Forest in July, she told the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday.

“I felt something on my back side and on my leg,” she recalled. “I started looking around and yelling out and [the otters] popped up right in front of me. Then they dove down and started going at me again.”

Yep, this was last year.