Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Gang of wild otters mauls jogger

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It is the latest in a series of incidents involving humans and otters in the area. A man was recently taken to hospital after another unprovoked attack.

Otter attacks are increasing across the whole of South-East Asia, according to wildlife authorities.

Despite their somewhat cuddly appearance, otters have teeth and jaws that are strong enough to crack open shellfish.

 They can weigh up to 14kg and grow up to 4ft, including their tail.

Ms Harun said she fought off the animals for what felt like five minutes until other joggers came to her aid.

She described finding herself suddenly surrounded by the pack after they “jumped out” from a drain in Perdana Park at about 6am local time.

“At first, I thought it was a cat, but the creature jumped out and bit me while I was running, and there were many of them … I could not even stand up when it happened,” she told local media.

Ms Harun was then taken to a nearby hospital as a wildlife team was sent to monitor the otters.

Roland Niun, the director of the Sabah Wildlife Department, said the otters might have seen Ms Harun “as a threat to their cubs and reacted defensively”.

“Otters generally avoid humans, and their perceived cuteness might lead some to mistakenly believe they are friendly and tame,” he said. “It is not advisable to approach them, as they can bite when provoked.”

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