Swimmers attacked by otters

Twice this summer, swimmers in Minnesota lakes have been attacked by otters.  From the StarTribune:

In less than a month, unusually aggressive otters have attacked two Twin Cities women swimming in lakes about 60 miles apart. They're two of the three attacks reported to the state in the past three months, puzzling experts who say otters are generally meek, playful creatures.

The latest victim, Carol Schefers, 38, of St. Michael, was swimming at her family's cabin on tiny Ude Lake near Aitkin last weekend when something suddenly nipped her beneath the dark, rum-colored water.

"The first thing you think is fish are attacking," she said Thursday. "I thought, 'Wow, these fish are feisty.'" She tried to shake off the attackers, but they kept biting, seemingly trying to pull Schefers, wearing a life jacket, underwater.

"All of a sudden, bam, bam, bam," she said. "I thought, 'We've got big muskies here.'" She began struggling, screaming as she flipped on her back. That's when she saw the otter's eyes and whiskers...

The other attack happened last month in Duluth, where Leah Prudhomme of Anoka was training for a triathlon on Island Lake. An otter peppered her with 25 puncture marks, some 2 inches deep, its fangs shredding her wet suit.

More at the StarTribune.