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Lynnette Bellin receives 38 stitches and rabies shots after a river otter attacks her during a morning swim in Lake Tahoe

Lynnette Bellin, a Reno woman and swim instructor, was attacked by a river otter while swimming near Hidden Beach at Lake Tahoe on a Sunday morning. The attack occurred around 8 a.m. while Bellin was swimming in an area she regularly visits. She reported that an otter grabbed her leg and pulled her underwater with significant power, eventually lunging at her with its teeth and claws for approximately five minutes. Bellin fought back against the otter until she reached a set of rocks, where she was able to pull herself out of the water. The otter continued to circle the area and follow her until she reached a higher point on the rocks. First responders treated Bellin at the beach, where she received 38 stitches and a series of rabies vaccinations. Wildlife officials noted that otter attacks are rare because the animals typically avoid humans. However, the Nevada Department of Wildlife stated that the population of North American river otters in the Tahoe basin has been increasing for the last 15 years, making encounters more frequent. Experts suggested the attack may have been caused by the otter being startled or threatened, possibly by being too close to a mother otter and her young.

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