Otter mauling leaves boy injured

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (1) – 8/4/21

Usually known for their playful nature, an otter surprisingly attacked a boy on July 30 while the boy and his cousin were floating the Big Hole River. Trace Knighten, 12, of Butte tried to avoid the group of otters, but one approached him and began attacking his arms and hands. Although he received stitches for his wounds, his mother says he is doing just fine. While otters are usually docile, explains a statement from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, they can sometimes turn violent when protecting their young, or a food source. With the low water levels along the Big Hole right now, they suspect the boys drifted a bit too close to the otter’s territory.