When otters attack: Man recalls getting bitten many times at Serene Lakes in California

By Orko Manna

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    PLACER COUNTY, California (KCRA) — A Northern California man said he was attacked by otters at Serene Lakes in Placer County, and now he is pushing for state wildlife officials to improve safety.

Matt Leffers has visited his family’s cabin on the shores of Serene Lakes for 30 years and he often goes swimming, but he said nothing could have prepared him for what happened in the water on Sept. 3, 2023: otters attacking him.

“I felt something bite my calf,” Leffers said. “Within seconds, I was bit again. And then I started swimming fast but there was the otter, popped up right in front of me and then I was bit again.”

Leffers said two otters bit him at least a dozen times, and he ended up with around 40 puncture wounds all over his body. He called the encounter a life-and-death situation.

“These things were so aggressive that, literally, I felt like they wanted to kill me,” Leffers said. “It is by far the most terrifying experience I’ve ever had in my life. Nothing even comes close.”

Leffers said his wife was able to get him out of the water on a paddleboat and bring him to shore. She took him to the hospital, but the damage was already done.

This is not the first time something like this has happened at Serene Lakes. KCRA 3 confirmed with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that otters attacked someone else at Serene Lakes in July.

“I think the fact that I’m the second person attacked here this summer, it’s a big red flag,” Leffers said.

Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told KCRA 3 that he was aware of another otter attack over the summer at Feather River. He also said there were some otters that attacked dogs in the Redding area. Tira said river otter attacks on people are very rare, but he added that they are a predator species.

“They are incredible swimmers, are very fast and have a lot of very sharp teeth. They won’t normally attack people or larger animals. However, they will defend their territory if they feel threatened, whether that’s a real threat or perceived threat,” Tira said.

Tira said that includes hunting grounds, which might explain why the two otters are at Serene Lakes.

According to a letter obtained by KCRA 3 that was sent by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to the Serene Lakes community, biologists who visited the lake, “agreed that the abundance of fish in the lake is a likely cause for otter presence and behavior.”

The letter went on to state what officials said community members could do to help address the situation:

“We recommend reducing the frequency of fish stocking and limiting stocking to the non-swimming section of the lake. The goal of managing the lakes’ fisheries in this way is to reduce the amount of food available in the swimming area, creating an area that is less attractive to the otters. Additionally, we advise the community members to avoid swimming in the lakes for the remainder of this season, and to increase educational signage in frequently used public areas.” But Leffers said that answer is not good enough.

“Fish and Wildlife has been very wimpy in their response,” Leffers said. “They need to mitigate the situation before somebody gets killed.”

According to the Sept. 21 letter, the next step for state wildlife officials is to confirm the number of otters and their approximate ages at Serene Lakes. They said they would come up with a strategy once they learn more about the otters.

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