A 51-year-old swimming instructor in Nevada needed 38 stitches after being attacked by an otter while swimming near Hidden Beach at Lake Tahoe. Lynnette Bellin was pulled underwater and repeatedly bitten and clawed during what she described as a five-minute struggle, before managing to escape onto rocks and walk barefoot, bleeding heavily, to seek help. The incident highlights the rare but serious risk otters can pose when they feel threatened, particularly near their pups or territory, and has left Bellin reconsidering where she swims despite her long-standing love of the lake.

Bellin, who has swum and taught at Lake Tahoe for more than two decades, said the otter "came after" her with "teeth and claws" and continued circling even as she tried to flee. She was treated at hospital with 38 stitches and a rabies shot, and a similar attack was reported nearby on 9 August, when a man swimming off Pope Beach was bitten on the foot and left with eight scratch marks. Wildlife officials say such attacks are uncommon but can occur when otters feel stressed, and a local community member has since set up a fundraiser to help cover Bellin's medical costs.