Escaped Giant Otter Attacks Woman

They may look cute, but it seems the humble otter can turn seriously angry when making a bid for freedom.

A giant otter, 1.80m in length, managed to escape from behind a metal fence in its zoo enclosure in Hamburg before hiding in some bushes. A cleaner heard rustling, followed by the animal's head appearing through the foliage.

She then screamed, but fell trying to run away, before the otter pounced on the stricken lady, biting her arms and legs.

Luckily, help was at hand, and a zoo keeper and assistant came to her aid and saved her, though not before they were themselves attacked by the frenzied animal. They finally wrestled the beast to the ground and restrained it, receiving several bites in the process.

The attack took place at Hamburg's Hagenbeck Zoo, and the lady is in hospital with injuries to her arm.

Zoo authorities are still bemused as to how the animal escaped - in fact, the whole episode is otter-ly astonishing.

[via thelocal.de]

Images: Rex