River otter attacks child, mother in rare Washington marina encounter

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A child was left with minor injuries after being attacked by a river otter in Kitsap County.

According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, a mother reported that she and her child were walking along the Bremerton Marina dock around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday when an otter pulled the child into the water.

Officials said the mother lifted the child from the water when they resurfaced a few moments later, but the otter bit her arm. The child suffered scratches and bites to the top of their head, face and legs.

The mother claimed the animal continued to follow her family as they left the marina. The child’s injuries were treated at a Silverdale hospital.

WDFW called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to “trap and lethally remove river otters from the marina.” Officials said the creatures will be tested at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab.

“We are grateful the victim only sustained minor injuries, due to the mother’s quick actions and child’s resiliency,” WDFW Sergeant Ken Balazs added in a statement. “We would also like to thank the Port of Bremerton for their quick coordination and communication to their marina tenants.”

According to the department, river otter encounters are rare — but the species tends to be territorial and unpredictable like other wildlife.

In Washington, officials said there have been six recorded human-river otter incidents in the past decade.