This swimmer says he was ruthlessly attacked by otters, suffering FORTY puncture wounds: "They wanted to kill me!"

Well, here's a new fear you weren't prepared to unlock.

A California man was swimming in a lake when he was ganged up on by a pair of vicious, angry otters that, according to him, wanted to kill him.

The man went for a quick dip in SERENE lake. But soon he was shouting in pain!

He had to have his wife come out on a paddleboat and rescue him after he suffered 12 bites and nearly 40 puncture wounds, courtesy of the semi-aquatic mammals.

"And then I started swimming fast, but there was the otter, popped up right in front of me, and then I was bit again," he said.

(I feel like I've seen this movie before)

"These things were so aggressive that, literally, I felt like they wanted to kill me," he continued. "It is by far the most terrifying experience I've ever had in my life. Nothing even comes close."

The most terrifying experience of your life?? Man, I know you're in their territory in the water, but what could an otter weigh? Like 20 pounds? And you can't just punch that thing or drown it or choke it? It's the size of a large house cat.

(All the otter lovers are gonna hate me for suggesting that)