"Peaceful Swim Turns Nightmare"... US Woman Gets 38 Stitches After Sudden Otter Attack in Lake

Attacked by Otter While Swimming in Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Face, Hands, and Feet Mauled... Received 38 Stitches in Total

A woman working as a swimming instructor in Nevada, United States, was attacked by a wild otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe and had to receive 38 stitches.

The photo is not directly related to the specific content of the article. Pixabay

According to Fox News, the New York Post, and other foreign media on September 1 (local time), Lynette Bellin, 51, was attacked by an otter while swimming outdoors near Hidden Beach at Lake Tahoe on the morning of August 30.

Bellin encountered the otter about 30 minutes after she started swimming. She shared, "Something grabbed my leg and pulled me underwater," and added, "It was so forceful that I thought it was a person."

The otter rushed at Bellin, biting and scratching her, and continued its attack even when she tried to push it away. When Bellin attempted to grab and throw the otter off, it bit her hands and face as well. This attack lasted for about five minutes.

Bellin said she screamed for help during the attack, but no one heard her. She eventually climbed onto a rock to escape, but the otter kept circling around the rock. Bellin said that at the time, the otter "felt incredibly threatening."

Bellin, who was attacked by an otter, shared the situation at the time. Screenshot from Instagram (@isrrenotahoe)

Afterward, Bellin crossed a fence and escaped onto a bike path. Seeing Bellin return covered in blood, people nearby rushed to help her, and an ambulance arrived at the scene.

Due to the otter’s attack, Bellin’s nose, face, and left hand were covered in blood. She received a total of 38 stitches, including 22 to her foot, and was given a rabies vaccine.

Bellin, who has been swimming in Lake Tahoe for 25 years, confessed that she now feels afraid to enter the water again after this attack. She said that she feels she has now lost the sense of peace she used to feel while swimming in the lake.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.