A Northern California man said he was attacked by otters at Serene Lakes in Placer County, and now he is pushing for state wildlife officials to improve safety. Matt Leffers has visited his family’s cabin on the shores of Serene Lakes for 30 years and he often goes swimming, but he said nothing could have prepared him for what happened in the water on Sept. 3, 2023: otters attacking him. … Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told KCRA 3 that he was aware of another otter attack over the summer at Feather River. He also said there were some otters that attacked dogs in the Redding area. Tira said river otter attacks on people are very rare, but he added that they are a predator species.