A British citizen dwelling in Singapore mentioned he feared for his life after he was pinned down by a pack of otters and bitten greater than 20 occasions.
Graham George Spencer advised The Straits Instances that his go to to the Singapore Botanic Gardens this week went awry when a runner on a path handed him and a buddy, aggravating a close-by pack of otters.
The group of animals charged the runner, who was capable of dodge the smooth-coated creatures and hold operating. They then set their sights on Spencer.
Learn extra:
Wildlife consultants enthusiastic about otter sightings in Calgary
“Unexpectedly, they will need to have thought I used to be (the runner),” he advised the information company.
“I truly thought I used to be going to die. They had been going to kill me.”
A wild smooth-coated otter feeds on a fish on the Singapore river on Feb. 21, 2019.
Roslan Rahman / AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Spencer mentioned the otters swarmed his ft, biting at his ankles and inflicting him to fall down.
As soon as the otters had him on the bottom, they attacked his legs and buttocks. Spencer’s buddy was capable of fend off the animals by screaming at them.
“I used to be bitten 26 occasions in 10 seconds. If it wasn’t for my buddy, I don’t suppose I’d nonetheless be right here. I’d be useless,” he advised native outlet In the present day.
Spencer mentioned he and his buddy sought shelter on the customer centre, operating all the best way there with the otters in sizzling pursuit.
He was despatched to a close-by hospital, the place he was handled for 26 wounds, a few of which required stitches, and was handled with antibiotics.
Otter assaults on people are very uncommon, however not unparalleled, Tan Puay Yok, group director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, advised The Straits Instances.
The L.A. Instances studies that the roughly 100 to 150 otters dwelling in Singapore have develop into an rising nuisance through the years.
A roving gang of otters, recognized domestically because the Zouk household, are believed to be the identical group that attacked Spencer. Prior to now yr they’ve been noticed swimming in rental swimming pools, traipsing by way of the foyer of a kids’s hospital, and consuming their manner by way of hundreds of {dollars} price of high-priced koi fish at a spa.
Calls to cull the animals have been met with pushback from native otter lovers. Some have advised deterring the otters with rubber bullets and airhorns.
Singapore’s nationwide parks board has issued an advisory on what to do should you cross paths with an otter, studies the BBC.
“DO NOT contact, chase or nook the otters. Observe them from a distance. Going too near the otters might frighten them,” it has warned.
© 2021 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.