Tag: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

River otter pulls child off dock and underwater in harrowing attack

A child walking down a dock with their mother was snatched by a river otter and pulled underwater in a frightening encounter in Washington.

A child walking down a dock with their mother was snatched by a river otter and pulled underwater in a harrowing encounter in Bremerton, Washington.

A moment later, when the child resurfaced, the mother grabbed the child and lifted them out of the water as the river otter continued to attack, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The frightening incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Bremerton Marina, located west of Seattle.

The mother was bitten in the arm, and the child sustained scratches and bites to the top of the head, face and legs. The river otter continued to pursue them as they left the dock.

The child, whose name and gender were not released, was treated at St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale, the Kitsap Sun reported.

“We are grateful the victim only sustained minor injuries, due to the mother’s quick actions and child’s resiliency,” WDFW Sergeant Ken Balazs said. “We would also like to thank the Port of Bremerton for their quick coordination and communication to their marina tenants.”

Also on FTW Outdoors: Whale tosses snorkeler out of the water in scary encounter

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services was called in by fish and wildlife officers to trap and lethally remove river otters from the marina. One river otter was trapped at the scene and was transported to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab for further evaluation, including testing for rabies.

More from the WDFW:

River otters (Lontra canadensis) are relatively common throughout Washington and can be found in fresh, brackish, or saltwater habitats. The species is mostly aquatic, though they can spend considerable time out of water. River otters are classified as a furbearer in Washington, meaning they are a game species that can be trapped. Although encounters with river otters are rare, they can be territorial and, like any wildlife, are inherently unpredictable.

There have been six documented human-river otter incidents in Washington in the last decade.

Heather Pugh, founder of the Bremerton Marina Tenants Group, told the Kitsap Sun that “The Bremerton Marina is located in the Puget Sound marine environment, and occasionally will see harbor seals, salmon, otters, and even Orca that have been in the waters nearby or adjacent to the marina.

“The natural wildlife often travel following the shoreline currents or seeking schools of small fish in the shallow waters. The marina has not experienced any incident like this with river otters.”

Man brags about hunts, portrays self as outdoor celebrity, then is busted

A Washington man who suggested his hunting exploits should be featured on outdoor TV shows is sentenced as a big-game poacher.

A man who suggested that his hunting exploits should be featured on outdoor TV shows was sentenced as a big-game poacher, and trespasser.

Jason Smith, 29, illegally killed four elk, four black bears and five black-tailed deer in Western Washington and bragged on social media about his tracking and killing prowess, and posted photos of his kills, the Washington Department of Wildlife announced.

Smith was charged with two felony counts of first-degree unlawful hunting of big game, 27 gross misdemeanor charges of second-degree unlawful hunting of big game, unlawful black bear baiting and unlawful waste of wildlife; and three misdemeanor charges of unlawful hunting or retrieving wildlife from private property.

A King County judge sentenced Smith to 80 hours of community service and fined him $8,000.

WDFW Police began investigating Smith in early 2021 upon seeing his multitude of successful harvest posts on social media, believing early on that the suspect had illegally killed multiple elk in the North Bend area of King County.

During the next 1½ years, officers obtained numerous search warrants for social media and mapping tools, gathering evidence of the suspect’s poaching activities.

From the WDFW:

In numerous cases, Smith used illegal means to bait deer, elk, and black bear as well as trespassed onto private property to poach or retrieve illegally killed animals. In one case, he left an elk carcass to waste after another person found the poached elk before he could retrieve it.

Smith posted photos of his exploits on social media and told friends about his tracking and killing prowess, suggesting he should be featured on extreme outdoor TV shows. In reality, much of the wildlife he poached was baited into his yard or poached on his neighbor’s property. In a text message obtained during the warrant, Smith also said he would kill another elk for a friend that hadn’t shot one yet if he got to keep the head to mount.

In the end, Officers served a search warrant at Smith’s residence and seized some of the wildlife parts, including meat. Other animals were seized from a taxidermist.

“Smith attempted to portray himself as a type of outdoor celebrity, using social media to boast, when in reality, there was nothing ethical about his actions,” said WDFW Captain Dan Chadwick.

“I commend our Officers’ hard work and ingenuity in completing this case. They are committed to ensuring safe and ethical opportunities while conserving our big game natural resources. We’d also like to thank the King County Prosecutors Office and the Attorney General’s Office Environmental Protection Division for their work on this case.”