A Nevada woman sustained 38 stitches after a river otter attacked her while she was swimming in Lake Tahoe on Sunday morning.
Lynnette Bellin, owner of survival swim school ISR Reno Tahoe, described the encounter as a "ruthless" and "vicious" attack. She recounted that something grabbed her leg and pulled her underwater, initially making her believe it was a human due to the otter's strength.
According to Bellin, the otter lunged at her, biting and scratching. She told CBS News that the attack involved "teeth and claws" and was prolonged, with the animal relentlessly pursuing her even as she attempted to fend it off. "It just kept coming after me. I kept pushing it away and it kept coming back," she said.
Bellin managed to reach safety by climbing onto slippery rocks, but observed the otter circling the area. She sustained significant injuries during the prolonged mauling.
