Woman Nearly Has Nose, Ears Clawed Off During Otter Attack

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS) - A 77-year-old is recounting her viscous encounter with an otter.

Sue Spector and her husband were enjoying a peaceful day on kayaks in Florida when the trip quickly turned frightening.

"He was swimming along beside me and I thought, 'Oh, how cute,'" she told Inside Edition.

But Spector says the otter jumped on her kayak and began clawing on her face.

"I was screaming," she said. "I was fighting."

Her husband and fellow kayakers rushed to her help until eventually shoving the animal off with their paddles.

Her ears were almost sliced off and her hand was savagely bitten.

She was rushed to the hospital where she received stitches and was given a rabies shot.

Spector is now recovering from the attack. She says she was very "lucky" things didn't turn out worse.