Otter Bites Woman, Gets Killed By Authorities In Maine

A river otter attacked a woman in Rockland, Maine last Wednesday, June 27, prompting officers to shoot and kill it.

Otters are quite cute, but wild animals are not very cuddly as a woman in Maine discovered in a scary otter attack at the Sandy Beach in Rockland.

An Unexpected Otter Attack

In a report by Press Herald, Laurie Nevins, who was in Maine on an RV trip with her husband and friends, recalls taking a video of a river otter who appeared to be chasing a couple of kids by the shore. Suddenly, the animal charged at her, circled her feet, and then latched onto her feet.

Westley Marshall, who is Nevins' friend, fought off the otter with one of the scoopers they were using to pick up shells. He eventually chased it to the water, recalling that the animal was making a hissing sound. However, as the group was trying to leave, the otter surfaced again.

"They're yelling, it's coming up the stairs," Nevins recounts. "At that point I was an emotional mess, bleeding all over the place."

Rockland police and the Maine Marine Patrol arrived at the scene soon after. The team spent hours scouring the property around the beach to chase the critter, eventually shooting the otter dead.

Marine Patrol specialist Corrie Roberts said that killing the animal was necessary as someone had been bitten and it needed to be checked for rabies. Nevins is currently waiting for an update on whether the animal tested positive for rabies. If confirmed, it will reportedly take longer to spread throughout her body since the bite is on her foot.

"I always thought otters were friendly," she says, adding that the encounter ended up to be a traumatic one for the group.

Results are expected in the afternoon of Friday, June 29.

Police Advice: Watch Out For Wild Animals

Although some critters in the wild may seem harmless, it's always best to be wary around them. In fact, Rockland Deputy Chief Chris Young urges people to avoid interacting with any wild animal and alert authorities of their presence instead. Officials will then lead the relocation of the animal to keep it from posing any harm to people around the neighborhood.

"If you see an animal on the beach or anywhere in your travels, especially if it's a wild animal, don't assume it's friendly," Young explains.