Otter gang terrorizes jogger in Malaysian park, mayor shuts it down

In Alfred Hitchcock's famous horror film, birds turned against humans. In Malaysia, there was a similarly terrifying role reversal, but the culprits did not come from the air but from the water and moved on four legs.

Tanjung Aru Perdana Park is a green recreational area in Kota Kinabalu, a city in eastern Malaysia. Running paths intersect with bike routes, all surrounded by lush vegetation and an ocean view. Sounds like paradise? Nothing could be further from the truth. The place is the territory of a very dangerous gang. Its members are otters.

That's right, otters. The otter gang attacked Mariasella Harun, a young Malaysian woman who was jogging in Tanjung Aru Perdana Park early in the morning. Suddenly, eight enraged otters blocked her path. She initially ignored them, thinking they were cats. Moments later, she was fighting for her life as the otters furiously attacked her.

Photos from the scene look extremely gruesome. It seems as if Mariasella had been attacked by a knife-wielding assailant rather than small, theoretically harmless creatures. After fending the attack, she sat on the curb and waited for rescue services. Wounds were visible on her head, hands, and legs. While her life is not in danger, she will undoubtedly be left with trauma. Wildlife specialists are now monitoring the behavior of the "gang."

The mayor of the Malaysian city took the matter seriously, announcing the park's closure until further notice. This incident was the first recorded otter attack on a human in the area. Local authorities plan to reinforce the park's fencing to limit animal movement. They also urge walkers to avoid contact with wild animals.

The likely explanation for the incident is that the otters were hungry and searching for food. Contact with the jogger made them feel additionally threatened and provoked them to attack.