First it was cougars.Now otters are the bane of the animal kingdom following a series of near-deadly attacks on humans blamed on the otherwise cute and cuddly sea rodents.On Thursday, a mother and child were attacked by a river otter at the Bremerton Marina near Seattle while walking on a dock. The animal reportedly grabbed the young toddler by its leg and pulled it underwater for several moments before resurfacing.According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) the otter continued to attack the woman while she pulled the child out of the water..The youth was treated for scratches and bite wounds to the head, face and legs while the woman was bit on the arm.“We are grateful the victim only sustained minor injuries due to the mother’s quick actions and child’s resiliency,” WDFW Sergeant Ken Balazs said in a prepared statement. “We would also like to thank the Port of Bremerton for their quick coordination and communication to their marina tenants.”According to the WDFW, otters in the marina will be “trapped and lethally removed” and tested for rabies.According to the department, river otter attacks are rare and are usually associated with mothers protecting their pups. While many think of them as cute, curious creatures they can cause serious injuries..Related to the badger family, they are carnivorous with powerful teeth and jaws capable of cracking open shellfish. On Wednesday a woman in Malaysia was attacked by a pack of wild otters while jogging through a park and was rushed to hospital with serious wounds to her arms and legs. The group of eight animals reportedly emerged from a sewer. Thinking they were cats, Mariasella Harun continued her run before they attacked her.Two Good Samaritans were also attacked.In that case, investigators said the animals entered the park looking for food and blamed their aggressive behaviour on people feeding them.The park was immediately closed until further notice.According to Roland Niun, director of the local Sabah Wildlife Department, the incident marks the first attack on a human in the area, though there has been a recent uptick of otter attacks across Southeast Asia in general."We received reports of the incident and were informed that the otters had entered through a damaged part of the gate, which has now been repaired," he told local media. "They inhabit the surrounding areas with abundant water sources—swamps, drains, and ditches.""Otters generally avoid humans, and their perceived cuteness might lead some to mistakenly believe they are friendly and tame," he continued. "Although there are reports of otters being domesticated in other parts of the state, it is not advisable to approach them, as they can bite when provoked."
