‘Thought I was going to die’: Gang of otters attacks man on his evening walk

A man genuinely believes he is lucky to be alive after a freak attack on his evening walk, in which 20 furious otters pounced on him.

That otter hurt.

A Singapore resident was hospitalised after a bizarre animal attack last month in which he was accosted by a gang of otters, who reportedly bit him 26 times.

“I actually thought I was going to die – they were going to kill me,” British native Graham George Spencer told the Straits Times of the otterly frightening encounter, which occurred on November 30 while he was strolling to the Singapore Botanic Gardens with a friend, the New York Post reported.

Mr Spencer, who is in his 60s, was reportedly approaching the visitors centre when he spotted around 20 otters crossing a dimly-lit path in front of him.

He claimed it was the first time he had seen the mustelids in the area despite taking his morning walks there for five months.

Graham George Spencer was attacked by otters as he was strolling to the Singapore Botanic Gardens with a friend. Picture: Courtesy of Graham George Spencer

The animal encounter went south after a jogger ran through the pack, causing the fish-eaters to go “crazy like dogs” and try to bite the passer-by, the shocked senior told Singapore’s Today online newspaper.

Fortunately, the runner escaped, but the water weasels set their sights on Mr Spencer, who believed they’d mistaken him for the runner.

The ornery otters reportedly hit him in the ankles, pushed him down and leapt on top of Mr Spencer, then proceeded to bite the prone man around his legs, shoes and buttocks, with one nipping his finger, according to the media reports.

“I was bitten 26 times in 10 seconds,” an aghast Mr Spencer recalled to Today.

Salvation came after the victim’s friend, who was about “15 paces” away, ran up to him screaming and yelling in an attempt to scare the hairy hooligans away.

The cantankerous creatures ceased the attack momentarily, allowing Spencer to get up and make a break for it.

The pair then ran for the visitor’s centre with the otters in pursuit for a short distance, according to the Straits Times.

Shortly thereafter, a guard — who appeared to be returning from a break — treated Mr Spencer’s wounds with bandages and offered to call an ambulance. However, the hardy ex-pat declined, instead opting to walk to a hospital across the street, as it was closer.

Spencer said he feels lucky to be alive. Picture: Courtesy of Graham George Spencer

There, doctors administered Mr Spencer tetanus shots and oral antibiotics and stitched up his wounds before discharging him the same day.

The patient claimed he has since returned to the hospital three times, racking up around $1,200 (A$1,670) in medical bills.

Mr Spencer, who reportedly struggles to sleep or sit down due to the bites on his bottom, said he might even have to cancel an upcoming Christmas trip to the UK on account of not feeling well enough to travel.

Nonetheless, he feels lucky to be alive.

“If it wasn’t for my friend, I don’t think I’d still be here,” said the grateful fellow, who has since had a meeting about the attack with representatives from the venue, with a spokesperson indicating an investigation was underway.

In light of the incident, Dr Tan Puay Yok, group director of the facility, is imploring visitors to observe otters from a distance and avoid feeding or interacting with them, especially when their young are around.

Graham George Spencer said he was bitten 26 times during the attack. Picture: Courtesy of Graham George Spence

The park has also posted signs at the park’s entrance, warning guests about the aggressive animals.

“You got to keep the public away from (the otters) because this will happen again,” cautioned Mr Spencer in a statement to Today.

Nonetheless, experts said that otter attacks are exceedingly rare.

Bernard Seah, a member of tracking organisations OtterWatch and the Otter Working Group, said Mr Spencer’s attackers were a pack of smooth-coated otters called the “Zouk family,” which are reportedly “the most human-tolerant otter family” in Singapore.

“In my years of documenting otters’ behaviours, I have never heard of such an aggressive attack,” said the incredulous researcher.

However, this isn’t the first time otters have assaulted someone.

The most recent incident in May concerned a 77-year-old man who was bitten on the leg near the Kallang River.

Meanwhile, in a similar instance in 2019, a man was forced to rescue his dog from a pack of vicious river otters in Alaska.

This article originally appeared on NY Post and was reproduced with permission