Photo: getty
A state known as The Last Frontier, partly due to its robust wildlife, is facing an unexpected menace.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game recentlyreleased a warning to Anchorage residentsto stay alert around local lakes and rivers after two incidents of group otter attacks.
According to the department, on Sept. 1, a group of four river otters bit a child near Lake Otis. A few weeks later, officials received reports about a group of river otters chasing after a pet dog and biting the canine’s owner near University Lake. On the same day at the same lake, an otter attacked a different dog.
The rapid succession of these incidents led to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issuing their warning.
“River otter attacks in Anchorage, while rare, have been reported over the last several years. River otter groups are typically comprised of either a mother with young, or associated bachelor males. The group composition of river otters responsible for the recent attacks is unknown,” the department wrote in their release.
Officials believe one group of otters could be responsible for all of the attacks since the animals are known to travel long distances in a single day. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game does not know what is causing these “unusual behaviors” in the attacking otters, but the department is working to locate the animals to learn more.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game shared in their release that the department plans to remove the otters displaying aggressive behaviors when the animals are discovered.
“Care will be taken to only remove the animals exhibiting these unusual behaviors. Due to their aggressive behavior toward people and pets, it is likely they would continue those actions in any new environment, making relocation problematic as it would simply move the dangerous behavior to another location,” the release on the department’s response to the issue reads.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) also asked that any aggressive wildlife sightings in the Anchorage area be reported to the nearest ADF&G office or online athttp://www.adfg.alaska.gov.
source: people.com
