WEKIVA ISLAND, Fla. (WSVN) — A man was sent to the hospital after a wild encounter with an otter near Orlando.
Officials are on the hunt for an aggressive otter who attacked a man before running off, nowhere to be found.
Although rare, attacks from these animals do happen.
“I don’t want to let folks have the idea that, you know, otters are super dangerous,” said Megan Stolen, a senior scientist at the Blue World Research Institute.
When Stolen learned a person was bitten by an otter at Wekiva Island, just north of Orlando, she said two possibilities came to mind.
“The otter perceives that the person is too close,” she said. “Or because of rabies.”
Rabies is a viral, deadly disease in animals that makes them behave more aggressively than usual.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to the scene, looking for the otter for testing. However, they were unable to find it.
“I didn’t think that they were around this area at all,” said area resident Jose Vasquez.
Stolen advises them to keep their distance from these animals, a lesson residents in the area plan to heed
“Avoiding them, just like avoiding other carnivores and coyotes and dogs and bobcats and everything else is just really good advice,” said Stolen.
“I feel like you have to respect nature no matter what. You understand that this isn’t where you’re from, and you know to tread lightly; you know to test the waters, of course,” said Vasquez. “Definitely have respect for nature.”
Otters are described as water-loving animals and can be found throughout Florida. FWC suggests adding structures around your home, such as sunken trees and cinder blocks, to avoid such attacks.
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