Why a woman was attacked by an otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe

Experts are questioning the nature of the otter attack in Lake Tahoe on Sunday. 

Around 10 a.m., the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Nevada Department of Wildlife to inform the agency that a river otter had attacked Lynnette Bellin near Hidden Beach on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, Nevada Department of Wildlife spokesperson Kenzie Margiott told SFGATE in an email. 

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In a Facebook reel, Bellin says she has been swimming in the lake for 25 years. But during her swim on Sunday, she told KCRA-TV, she felt the otter pull her under and start attacking her using its teeth and claws. Though she was able to fight the animal off and get away, the outlet reported that the bloody attack ended in an emergency visit that left her with 38 stitches and shots for rabies and a meeting with a game warden at her home.

“The thing that upsets me the most is that swimming in Tahoe is my peace, my sanctuary. And now I’m scared to do it again,” Bellin said on her Facebook page.

Heide Island, a professor of biological psychology and behavioral ecology at Pacific University, told SFGATE that a river otter attack is “an extremely uncommon event.” Island, who focuses on otter research, also said there was almost no way for Bellin to spot the animal in the water, since they swim mostly submerged in water with only their heads visible.

“To put things in perspective, there have only been a handful, perhaps around 20, recorded river otter attacks in North America over the past 14 years compared to thousands of other wildlife-related incidents reported annually in some regions,” Island said.

The last reported incident in the Tahoe Basin was at Serene Lakes in 2023, Margiott said.

“Otters are wild animals and can become aggressive if they feel threatened, cornered or are defending young,” Margiott said. 

Island said defending young wasn’t a likely cause in Bellin’s attack because by September, any newborn pups should be juveniles. Instead, seasonal tourist activity to the Tahoe area, which peaks from June through September, may be the culprit.

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“I’m reluctant to describe this as an aggressive animal,” she said. “It’s more likely a defensive animal during a period when humans are entering its habitat. People are entering habitats where animals are feeding, weaning young, and going through seasonal behaviors.”

Although Bellin was treated for rabies, Margiott said the agency does “not want to speculate” on whether the otter had rabies since it was never located. And Island said the odds that she contracted rabies are extremely slim. 

“Rabies is often the first explanation people suggest, but it’s actually unlikely,” Island said. “Otters are among the species with very low rabies incidence.” 

Amber DiBello, one of Bellin’s clients and a Lake Tahoe content creator, started a GoFundMe to raise money to cover Bellin’s medical expenses. 

In another Facebook reel, Bellin said she recognizes that she’s now known as the “otter lady.” But she added that the media is missing the key reason she survived the attack — she knew how to swim — and emphasized the importance of learning the skill. 

“That second nature of swimming for me is what saved me this weekend. I didn’t have to think about breath control or how to maneuver in the water,” she said. “All I had to think about was how I was going to get myself away from this wild animal, and I think that is truly the important message that I wish the media would have latched on to.”