River otter drags child underwater, attacks family at marina

A young Washington state child narrowly survived being dragged underwater by a crazed river otter — which also attacked the kid’s horrified mom during a morning walk.The youngster was with their mother on a dock at Bremerton Marina in Kitsap County Thursday morning when the otter pounced, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.The animal managed to pull the child underwater, the agency said.When the child briefly resurfaced, the desperate mom was able to lift them back onto the dock while the otter continued to attack.The mother sustained a bite to her arm, while the child had “scratches and bites to the top of the head, face and legs,” the department explained.The vicious otter also kept pursuing the family as they fled the dock area.The child – who has not been identified publicly – was treated at a local 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.”After the incident, officers with the WDFW contacted the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to trap and lethally remove river otters from the marina.One otter was trapped at the scene, and will be tested for rabies at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab.The shocking marina attack came just days after a woman in Malaysia was left bloody and crying after she was mauled by eight otters during a jog.Last year, a woman in Montana had to be airlifted to the hospital after she was also set upon by the territorial creatures during a kayaking trip.The victim, Jen Royce, had half of her ear chewed off by the “vicious and relentless” otter that targeted her and her friends on the Jefferson River near Bozeman.“The water was definitely where they excelled in their attack and we were helpless.

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