Man hospitalized with ‘significant injuries’ after encounter with mother otter at Northern California national park

ktla ^ | 06/30/2020

[BenLurkin]

The man was swimming in Manzanita Lake on June 25 when he was bitten by a female river otter, park spokesman Kevin Sweeney told The Times on Tuesday. The man was hospitalized with “significant injuries,” including scratches and puncture wounds that caused bleeding, but they did not appear to be life threatening, Sweeney said.

It is unclear what prompted the incident, but officials believe that the man may have gotten too close to the female otter’s kittens, prompting her to aggressively react.

[LouieFisk]

The “Common” or “North American” otter is a river otter. The California otter is the “Sea otter.”
--
Huh. didn't know that, thanks. Apparently not as many in a good part of mid-America (white area in map) - probably why I'd never seen one.

[fso301]

I once knew a man who was attacked by an otter. It really did some serious damage.

[nwrep]

which movie?

[bunkerhill7]

This is how the Otterman Empire began.

[bunkerhill7]

This is how the Otterman Empire began.

[csvset]

Otter Knows Best

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Sea otters (31 to 99lbs) are generally peaceable except when irritated, but freshwater river otters (11 to 30lbs) can be very aggressive with little or no warning. Rivers getting a lot of predators on their shores explains their quick triggers.

He is lucky to have just gotten minor bites.

[sasquatch]

Morning.

I’ve watched otters tear the heck out of salmon
on the river. No mercy.
Canada geese can hit like a prize fighter.

[mad_as_he$$]

Morning!

Teeth and energy!

[Savage Beast]

Rabies?

[barker]

The animals are fighting back. Woman at Yellowstone got in the space of a bison too many times and it attacked her. Wild horse that lives on that island on the east coast hit with a shovel and was promptly kicked back. Now the otters.

[BenLurkin]

[fr_freak]

The animals are fighting back.

All the animals got spoiled during the lockdown. They looked around and said "Hey, all of those annoying humans are gone! We can do what we want!" For a couple of months, the world was theirs and now they don't want to give it back.

[higgmeister]

You made me think of "The Loch Moose Monster."   Science Fiction story of an otter genetically crosslinked to a moose which created a zany chimera on a far distant planet of settlers.

[higgmeister]

"The Loch Moose Monster."

[higgmeister]

Excerpt:

Loch Moose looked as serene as it always did this time of year. The waterlilies were in full bloom---patches of velvety red and green against the sparkles of sunlight off the water. Here and there I saw a ripple of real trout, Earth authentic.

On the bank to the far right, Susan's troop of otters played tag, skidding down the incline and hitting the water with a splash. They whistled encouragement to each other like a pack of fans at a ballgame. Never saw a creature have more pure fun than an otter---unless it was a dozen otters, like now.

[Keyhopper]

Maybe the otter identified as a honey badger