A Nevada woman required 38 stitches and a rabies shot after a prolonged and aggressive attack by an otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe. The incident occurred Sunday morning near Hidden Beach at Incline Village.
Lynnette Bellin, an infant swim instructor who has frequented the lake for over two decades, was swimming when she felt a powerful pull on her leg. She described the animal as initially feeling human-like before realizing it was an otter. The animal then began attacking with its teeth and claws, prompting Bellin to fight back with her hands and feet.
"The attack just kept getting more and more aggressive. It was just nothing I'd ever been coached for," Bellin told KCRA 3. She attempted to reach nearby rocks but found them too slippery. Bellin estimated the struggle lasted about five minutes.
Bellin managed to climb onto rocks and made her way to the East Shore Bike Trail, where she was met by first responders. She was covered in blood, with bite and scratch marks across her body.
Bellin was transported to an emergency room for treatment. She stated that she had never encountered an otter in Lake Tahoe during her extensive experience swimming and teaching there. She noted that otter attacks on humans are rare, citing online information suggesting only 59 such incidents have been recorded since 1875.
This incident follows a similar report from August 9 in Stateline, Nevada, where an otter latched onto a swimmer's foot near Pope Beach. The Nevada Department of Wildlife suggests that otters may attack if they feel threatened or stressed, often to protect pups or territory.
Despite the attack, Bellin expressed her love for Lake Tahoe but acknowledged the incident may influence her future swimming locations. A GoFundMe has been established by a local resident to help cover Bellin's medical expenses, with over $2,000 raised towards an $8,000 goal.
Bellin emphasized the importance of swimming skills, crediting her background as an infant swim instructor for her ability to escape the animal. She shared that her instinctual swimming abilities were critical in getting away from the wild animal.