Current:Home > MarketsRiver otter attacks child at Washington marina, issue with infestation was known -FinanceMind
River otter attacks child at Washington marina, issue with infestation was known
View
Date:2025-04-15 18:19:20
A child walking on a dock at a Washington state marina was attacked and pulled under the water by a river otter Thursday morning, then pulled from the water by their mother, who was also bitten on the arm by the otter, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The otter continued to pursue the family as they left the dock at the Bremerton Marina, about 30 miles west of Seattle, WDFW said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon. The child was taken to a hospital for treatment after being bitten and scratched on the legs, arms and head.
The attack reportedly happened on the marina's E dock, on the northernmost side of the facility, next to the historic USS Turner Joy ship and museum. E dock is not accessible to the public, and a Port of Bremerton employee at the marina Friday morning said that traps, which were installed by WDFW after the incident, are not publicly visible.
Otter infestation previously reported
An otter infestation was reported nearly a year ago by tenants at the marina, specifically E dock, according to email records provided on Friday to the Kitsap Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network. Heather Pugh, founder of the Bremerton Marina Tenants Group, had written to Director of Marine Facilities James Weaver on November 21, 2023, stating that two sailboats were moored on a single finger of E dock at the marina, describing one of the boats as "otter-infested and foul," and that other tenants had not seen the owner of the sailboat in years.
That same day Weaver replied to Pugh, and confirmed that the Port was aware of the boat and the otter issue, and told Pugh that emails had been sent to the sailboat's owner.
On Friday morning Weaver referred questions from the Kitsap Sun to the WDFW statement, and did not specifically respond to whether tenants had expressed concern recently.
"The Bremerton Marina is located in the Puget Sound marine environment, and occasionally will see harbor seals, salmon, otters, and even Orca that have been in the waters nearby or adjacent to the marina," Weaver said in an email. "The natural wildlife often travel following the shoreline currents or seeking schools of small fish in the shallow waters. The marina has not experienced any incident like this with river otters.
“We are grateful the victim only sustained minor injuries, due to the mother’s quick actions and child’s resiliency,” said WDFW Sergeant Ken Balazs in a statement. “We would also like to thank the Port of Bremerton for their quick coordination and communication to their marina tenants.”
Otters will be trapped, euthanized, tested, authorities say
The age of the child who was injured has not been provided, and through a friend the family declined to speak with the Kitsap Sun.
Fish and Wildlife officers contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services to trap and remove the river otters from the marina, said Becky Elder, communications specialist for WDFW. The animals will be euthanized with a firearm and transported to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab for further evaluation, including testing for rabies. One otter has already been trapped at the scene and will soon be transported.
WDFW noted that there have been six other incidents between river otters and humans in the past decade in Washington state.
Nearly seven years ago, the Kitsap Sun reported on an issue at the Kingston marina, when some marina tenants were upset by a U.S. Department of Agriculture program, commissioned by the Port of Kingston, to trap otters around their docks. At the time, a Port of Kingston representative said that problems had been observed like river otters making a mess on docks and boats, and creating homes in boats. Several other marinas in Kitsap County at the time, including the Bremerton marina, reported using different types of trapping operations to manage otters or other wildlife when the animals become a nuisance.
veryGood! (1)
Related
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Tom Smothers, half of the provocative Smothers Brothers comedy duo, dies at 86
- Top Wisconsin Republican wants to put abortion laws on a future ballot
- North Korea’s Kim vows to bolster war readiness to repel ‘unprecedented’ US-led confrontations
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- Gypsy Rose Blanchard set to be paroled years after persuading boyfriend to kill her abusive mother
- Dominican officials searching for Rays shortstop Wander Franco as investigation continues
- Teen killed when Louisiana police chase ends in a fiery crash
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Jury deadlocks in trial of Alabama man accused of 1988 killing of 11-year-old Massachusetts girl
Ranking
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- The New York Times sues ChatGPT creator OpenAI, Microsoft, for copyright infringement
- Nikki Haley, asked what caused the Civil War, leaves out slavery. It’s not the first time
- As pandemic unfolded, deaths of older adults in Pennsylvania rose steeply in abuse or neglect cases
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Reese Witherspoon Has a Big Little Twinning Moment With Daughter Ava Phillippe on Christmas
- After lowest point, Jim Harbaugh has led Michigan to arguably the program's biggest heights
- Comedian Tom Smothers, one-half of the Smothers Brothers, dies at 86
Recommendation
Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
Frustration in Phoenix? Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Suns should be unhappy with results
What is hospice care? 6 myths about this end-of-life option
Herb Kohl, former US senator and owner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, has died. He was 88
Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
Chain-reaction collision in dense fog on Turkish motorway leaves at least 10 people dead, 57 injured
Human remains, artificial hip recovered after YouTuber helps find missing man's car in Missouri pond
Detroit Pistons lose NBA record 27th straight game in one season