 A woman tubing with friends along a US river has been hospitalised after being attacked by an otter. Jen Royce, from Bozeman in Montana, was floating down the Jefferson River with two friends earlier this month when she was attacked by the animal for around five minutes. Attacks from otters are incredibly rare – there have only been an estimated 59 otter attacks with injuries or deaths worldwide since 1875, the MailOnline reports. Warning: Graphic images follow Jen, 37, suffered multiple injuries to her face and limbs, including part of her ear being bitten off. She said she thought she might die in the attack – and due to their remote location she had to wait nearly an hour for paramedics to arrive. Her two friends were also attacked by the otter, but Jen faced the worst injuries. Jen explained: 'I didn't even have a chance to get the words 'there is an otter behind you' out of me before it attacked my friend. 'Without ANY exaggeration, God's honest truth, I did not think I was going to make it out of that river. 'I had no clue if my friends were going to make it out. But by the grace of God we did. 'We were helpless. I tried to kick it away, but I would just get attacked somewhere else.' Fewer than 60 otter attacks resulting in injuries or death have been recorded worldwide in the past 150 years (Picture: Stefano Guidi/Getty Images) She added: 'I tried to hold it back at one point by grabbing its arm to hold it away while trying to swim closer to shore. 'This thing was vicious and relentless. It bit my face in several places, both of my ears, my arms, my hands, my legs, my thighs and my ankle. 'My friends were bit on the hands and on their bottom. One friend's thumb was shredded, and she had bite marks all over her body as well. The three friends were able to get out of the water and used their iPhone's SOS feature to call for help. Jen was left wit){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
A woman tubing with friends along a US river has been hospitalised after being attacked by an otter.
Jen Royce, from Bozeman in Montana, was floating down the Jefferson River with two friends earlier this month when she was attacked by the animal for around five minutes.
Attacks from otters are incredibly rare – there have only been an estimated 59 otter attacks with injuries or deaths worldwide since 1875, the MailOnline reports.
Warning: Graphic images follow