KOTA KINABALU: Mariasella Harun struggled when she was attacked by otters while doing her routine jog at Perdana Park in Tanjung Aru on Wednesday (Sept 11) morning.
“I saw something emerging from the drain and thought it was a cat.
"But it leaped out and bit me. Suddenly, I realised there were many of them. I couldn't even stand up when it happened,” said the 40-year-old housewife.
She fought off the otters for what felt like five agonising minutes until several other joggers came to her aid.
Unfortunately, they too were attacked by the animals.
Mariasella sustained injuries on her arms, legs and head from the attack and was later rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment, where she was administered antibacterial medication and rabies vaccine.
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“The doctors told me that I need to be hospitalised for observation, (but I'm) not sure for how long.
"They also mentioned that my wounds could not be stitched immediately because of potential complications from the bites,” she said when contacted.
Still tired and traumatised by the incident, Mariasella said that she jogged in the park daily and spotted otters in the area just last week.
“When I saw some otters last week, I took a video but did not go near them.
"So like always, after dropping off my son at Chung Hwa Primary School in Likas today, I headed to Perdana Park for my jog.
“I reached the park at 6.10am to jog before CrossFit training at 8am in Putatan.
"After a quick warm-up, I started running, and had completed just 2km when the attack occurred," she said.
Mariasella added that she did not know why she was attacked because she did not go near or provoke the otters.
A viral video shows a pack of otters running along a drain towards Mariasella before attacking her.
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Hers is the first reported case of an otter attack and, according to Sabah Wildlife Department director Roland Niun, it is unusual for this generally harmless animal to exhibit such aggression.
Confirming the incident, Niun said a team was sent to investigate, noting that otters typically become aggressive when they feel threatened or provoked.
“They can sometimes be overly protective of their pups, and due to their territorial nature, may attack humans with their sharp canine teeth," he said.
According to Niun, the otters were able to access the park through a damaged fence.
"However, since the broken fence at Perdana Park – the otters' entry point – has now been repaired, we ask the public to inform us if the otters are still able to enter.
"If they return, we will have to capture and relocate them.
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“As a precaution, we advise the public not to approach the otters, even though they do not typically attack humans.
"Please do not feed them or provoke them in any way," he stressed.
Otters are protected under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, and are usually found in riverine areas or lakes.
Niun advised the public not to offer food, pet, or disturb any otters they encounter to avoid any transmission of disease and to maintain the animals' well-being.
The otter population is unknown in Sabah but its presence is an important indicator of healthy riverine habitats.
