A river otter attacks a child at a Seattle-area marina

BREMERTON, Washington — A river otter attacked a baby at a Seattle-area marina, dragging the cub off a dock and into the water before the mother could rescue her child, wildlife officials said.

The child was pulled under water and resurfaced after a few moments during the encounter at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Bremerton Marina in Kitsap County, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said in a news release.

The otter continued biting and scratching as the mother pulled the child out of the water. The animal chased them as they left the dock, conservationists said. The child was treated at a hospital.

“We are thankful that the victim only sustained minor injuries, thanks to the mother’s quick actions and the child’s resilience,” said Fish and Wildlife Sgt. Ken Balazs. “We would also like to thank the Port of Bremerton for their quick coordination and communication with their marina tenants.”

Officers captured the otter and took it to a diagnostic lab for testing for diseases, including rabies, the news release said. The agency did not respond to questions about the test results Saturday.

River otters are common in Washington and can be found in both freshwater and saltwater habitats, officials said. Encounters with humans are rare, with six encounters in the past decade, officials said. River otters can be territorial and “like all wild animals, they are inherently unpredictable,” officials said.