[ad_1]
A Northern California man said he was attacked by otters, and now he is pushing for state wildlife officials to improve safety.Matt Leffers has visited his family’s cabin on the shores of Serene Lakes near Lake Tahoe for 30 years and he often goes swimming, but he said nothing could have prepared him for what happened in the water on Sept. 3, 2023: otters attacking him.“I felt something bite my calf,” Leffers said. “Within seconds, I was bit again. And then I started swimming fast but there was the otter, popped up right in front of me and then I was bit again.”Leffers said two otters bit him at least a dozen times, and he ended up with around 40 puncture wounds all over his body. He called the encounter a life-and-death situation.“These things were so aggressive that, literally, I felt like they wanted to kill me,” Leffers said. “It is by far the most terrifying experience I’ve ever had in my life. Nothing even comes close.”Leffers said his wife was able to get him out of the water on a paddleboat and bring him to shore. She took him to the hospital, but the damage was already done.Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told sister station KCRA that he was aware of another otter attack over the summer.Tira said river otter attacks on people are very rare, but he added that they are a predator species.“They are incredible swimmers, are very fast and have a lot of very sharp teeth. They won’t normally attack people or larger animals. However, they will defend their territory if they feel threatened, whether that’s a real threat or perceived threat,” Tira said.
A Northern California man said he was attacked by otters, and now he is pushing for state wildlife officials to improve safety.
Matt Leffers has visited his family’s cabin on the shores of Serene Lakes near Lake Tahoe for 30 years and he often goes swimming, but he said nothing could have prepared him for what happened in the water on Sept. 3, 2023: otters attacking him.
“I felt something bite my calf,” Leffers said. “Within seconds, I was bit again. And then I started swimming fast but there was the otter, popped up right in front of me and then I was bit again.”
Leffers said two otters bit him at least a dozen times, and he ended up with around 40 puncture wounds all over his body. He called the encounter a life-and-death situation.
“These things were so aggressive that, literally, I felt like they wanted to kill me,” Leffers said. “It is by far the most terrifying experience I’ve ever had in my life. Nothing even comes close.”
Leffers said his wife was able to get him out of the water on a paddleboat and bring him to shore. She took him to the hospital, but the damage was already done.
Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told sister station KCRA that he was aware of another otter attack over the summer.
Tira said river otter attacks on people are very rare, but he added that they are a predator species.
“They are incredible swimmers, are very fast and have a lot of very sharp teeth. They won’t normally attack people or larger animals. However, they will defend their territory if they feel threatened, whether that’s a real threat or perceived threat,” Tira said.
[ad_2]
Source_link
