Unexpected attack puts woman in hospital indefinitely
KOTA KINABALU: A routine morning run around her neighbourhood turned into a traumatising experience for Mariasella Harun when she found herself under attack by a bevy of otters.
The attack came as a complete shock to Mariasella, who is a familiar face among runners at Perdana Park in Tanjung Aru.
“I saw something emerging from the drain and thought it was a cat. But the creature leapt 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 after the attack at around 6.30am yesterday.
She sustained injuries on her arms, legs and head and was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment, which included getting a vaccination for rabies.
“The doctors informed me that I require hospitalisation for observation, but they did not specify the duration.
“They also mentioned that my wounds could not be stitched immediately due to potential complications from the bites,” she said when contacted.
“I arrived at the park at 6.10am. I started running and had completed just 2km when the attack occurred,” said Mariasella, who said she has no idea why the otters attacked her.
She said that did not provoke or approach them.
Meanwhile, a video showing a group of otters running along a drain nearby towards Mariasella before attacking her has gone viral.
According to Sabah Wildlife Department director Roland Niun, this is the first reported attack on humans by otters, which is unusual as otters are generally harmless and rarely exhibit such aggression.
Niun said a team has been sent to the site to investigate and noted that otters only tend to become aggressive when they feel threatened or provoked.
“They can sometimes be overly protective of their pups, and due to their territorial nature, otters may attack humans with their sharp teeth,” said Niun, who further explained that the otters were able to access the park due to 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.
“As a precaution, we advise the public not to approach the otters, even though they do not typically attack humans.
“Please don’t feed them or provoke them in any way. Do not attempt to pet or disturb them to avoid any disease transmission and for the sake of their well-being.”
Usually found in riverine areas or lakes, otters are protected under Schedule 2, Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.
The otter population is unknown in Sabah, but their presence is an important indicator of the health of riverine areas.
