Wild Otter Attack Sends Woman to Hospital, Others Treated for Wounds

A wild otter attack has been reported in Montana this week. The incident injured three women, with one requiring to be airlifted to a hospital, while the rest were treated for their superficial wounds. The wild animal encounter happened along the Montana River. It is unclear whether the attack was provoked or not. However, otters can be protective of their territory or offspring.

Experts state that otter attacks on humans are rare. Despite the adorable look of the mammals, they still do occur, especially in their natural habitats. For more than a century, related attacks have been recorded worldwide; with cases including the United States, Canada, Scotland, India, and Singapore. In comparison with other wild animals, attacks involving otters are still relatively low.

Montana Otter Attack

The three women were floating on inner tubes along the Jefferson River in the state of Montana on Wednesday evening, August 2, when an otter approached and attacked them. The ordeal ended when the trio got out of the river, with the animal assailant fleeing away.

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks stated the victims were approximately 3 miles upstream from the river's Sappington Bridge when they spotted one or two otters at around 8:15 p.m. local time, as cited by Fox News. No fatalities have been reported.

Rescue Underway

Local authorities, including the Montana Highway Patrol, Jefferson Valley Ambulance, and Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, responded into the incident after the women called 911.

Two of the women were only slightly injured. However, the other sustained more serious wounds to her face and arms as a result of otter bites. With this, she was flown to the hospital via a helicopter.

Montana wildlife official Morgan Jacobsen stated the attack happened sometime between 8:15 and 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, NBC Montana reported.

Are Otters Dangerous?

Otters remain to be dangerous wild animals even if they look soft and cuddly. This is because otters possess a powerful bite and have strong teeth, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), which warned the public to maintain a safe distance of 60 feet or "at least 5 kayak lengths" from the animals.

Aside from humans, otters can also be dangerous and aggressive towards other smaller animals, according to the website AZ Animals. Otters do not intentionally hunt for humans. However, experts assert they can be violent towards us when necessary.

Otter Attack Incidents

In total, there have been only 44 cases of otter attacks on humans recorded worldwide since 1875. Most encounters were often caused by human encroachment within otter territory, according to a study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, as cited by the National Institutes of Health.

The study, published in 2016, mentioned an otter attack during late summer after a 52-year-old woman swam in a lake in southern Quebec, Canada.

In September 2021, a 9-year-old boy was attacked at a pond in Anchorage, Alaska, while filming at a water ridge, according to the IUCN Otter Specialist Group Bulletin. Related attacks have been reported in the states of New York, Washington, Florida, and Wisconsin.