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Otter attacks woman swimming in Lake Tahoe. What we know
USA Today • • nation
Key Points:
- Lynnette Bellin was attacked underwater by an otter while swimming near Hidden Beach in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, resulting in severe cuts requiring 22 stitches and a rabies vaccination.
- Bellin described the attack as relentless, with the otter biting and scratching her before she managed to escape using nearby rocks and drive herself to the hospital.
- This incident is the second otter attack reported at Lake Tahoe this summer, following a similar attack on Bob Daly at Pope Beach on August 9.
- Northern river otters, native to Lake Tahoe, are usually nocturnal but can be active during early morning and late afternoon; otter attacks are rare but can be dangerous.
- According to the Otter Specialist Group, only 39 otter attacks have been documented in North America since 1875, with the greatest number occurring in Florida.
