A Nevada woman needed 38 stitches after being attacked by an otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe — with the vicious assault so intense it felt like her attacker “was a human.” Lynnette Bellin, a swim instructor from Reno who regularly takes a dip in the lake, was swimming near Hidden Beach when she was attacked Sunday morning. It’s my absolute favorite thing to do in the area,” Bellin told KCRA 3. However, during her most recent dip, Bellin said she was yanked underwater by an aggressive otter who left her battered and bloodied.
It felt like it was a human,” Bellin said. But it kept following me,” she continued. The aggressive otter left her bloody and with bites and scratches covering her body — later requiring 38 stitches in the emergency room and a rabies shot.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife says otter attacks are rare, as otters tend to avoid humans. Otters who attack tend to do so under stress or if they feel threatened. Their population has been increasing for the last 15 years.
So, we are seeing more in the area.” However, it was the first time Bellin had even seen an otter in the lake. Bellin says she hopes to return to swimming in the lake, though she will likely scout out a new location. I think it’s probably going to influence where I choose to swim,” she said.
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