Incline Village – A routine morning swim turned dangerous for local swim instructor Lynnette Bellin when a northern river otter seized her leg and dragged her underwater at Hidden Beach on August 30.
Bellin, who has been swimming in the area since July, described feeling a strong pull and, moments later, the animal’s teeth and claws. “At first I thought it was a person pulling on me because it was so strong,” she told the Reno Gazette Journal. “Then I felt the teeth and claws, and it was relentless.”
She managed to reach a nearby set of rocks, threw the otter away, and shouted for help, but no one responded. Using the rocks as a foothold, Bellin escaped the water and drove herself to the hospital.
Medical staff treated her for cuts across her face, arms and legs, administered 22 stitches, and gave a rabies vaccination as a precaution.
Local wildlife response
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call and, with assistance from the Nevada Department of Wildlife, searched the area for the otter but were unable to locate it.
Recent otter incidents
This is the second otter attack reported at Lake Tahoe this summer. In early August, Bob Daly was bitten and scratched at Pope Beach, sustaining eight injuries. An additional otter encounter was reported in Anchorage, Alaska, last month.
Northern river otters are native to the Lake Tahoe region and are primarily nocturnal, though they may be active in the early morning and late afternoon in more remote shoreline areas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
While otter attacks are rare, the Otter Specialist Group documented only 39 incidents in the United States since 1875, with the majority occurring in Florida. Nonetheless, residents and visitors are encouraged to remain vigilant near water’s edge, especially in less populated spots.
Authorities continue to monitor wildlife activity around the lake and advise swimmers to report any unusual animal behavior promptly.
Original reporting: Las Cruces Sun News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
