Sea otters apparently enjoy surfing too. An aggressive sea otter has been terrorizing surfers in California after it’s been approaching them to steal their boards.
California and federal wildlife officials are currently working to do everything they can to safely capture the sea otter that has been “aggressively” approaching surfers and kayakers in the Pacific Ocean near Santa Cruz.
The Santa Cruz Police Department posted on Facebook warning people in the area about the five-year-old female otter that has been biting surfboards and exhibiting other aggressive behavior. Known as Otter 841, the animal was born at the Monterey Bay Aquarium but was released into the wild in 2021.
A team of specialists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Monterey Bay Aquarium have been trying to catch the otter since July 2 but have been unsuccessful thus far. Crews have been trying everything, including using a dummy surfer to lure the otter without any results.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otter Program Manger Jess Fuji says that “although this otter was born in an animal care facility, she was raised by her mother with minimal human contact.”
The otter has been tagged with a radio transmitter, which allows its location to be tracked but scientists believe capturing the otter could take days or weeks. “The goal is the safe capture of this female sea otter to remove the potential pubic safety risk while also recognizing and acknowledging the important role sea otters play in coastal ecosystems along the Central California coast,” said Lilian Carswell of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The organizations reported that once the otter is captured it will be taken to Monterey Bay Aquarium to be examined before being brought to a permanent home at an aquarium or zoo. The organizations emphasize that “euthanasia and other lethal methods are not under consideration.”