It’s been two years since a Santa Cruz sea otter, referred to as 841, garnered worldwide consideration and superstar by attacking surfers and their surfboards because the human wave-riders alley-ooped over the waves of the legendary Steamer Lane.
It’s taking place once more.
This time, the identification of the otter is unclear. That’s as a result of whereas 841 (who was born in captivity) carried a lightweight blue tag on her proper flipper, this otter is bare.
Specialists say 841 may have chewed off her tag, or it may have damaged off by itself. Otter flipper tags are designed to final an animal’s lifespan, however analysis reveals they don’t at all times final so lengthy.
It’s additionally potential that is a completely completely different otter who might have watched 841 previously, and is adopting her curious and daring habits. It may very well be a relative. Or it may very well be this otter simply has the same surfboard urge for food and hostage-taking drive.
On Thursday afternoon, roughly three dozen surfers had been lined as much as catch waves at Steamer Lane — slightly below the Santa Cruz shoreline’s cliffs close to the town’s iconic lighthouse and surfer statue.
Mark Woodward, a Santa Cruz-based social media influencer and devoted 841 observer and chronicler, stated he wasn’t positive whether or not this was 841, or somebody completely different.
Otter 841 chewing on a surfboard after chasing a surfer off in Santa Cruz in July 2023.
(Mark Woodward)
He stated the animal’s behaviors and M.O. had been nearly equivalent. Nevertheless, whereas 841 tended to hold near the cliffs in 2023, this otter appeared to spend extra time a bit farther out — nearer to the offshore kelp beds.
He noticed 841 final yr — tag on — visiting the identical waters however preserving her distance from folks.
The one otter seen on Thursday was means off shore, floating on its again atop a kelp mattress — presumably consuming some tasty morsel, resembling a crab or abalone, retrieved from the ocean flooring.
Pelicans glided over the cresting waves, whereas a harbor seal watched the surfers for a bit earlier than diving beneath the floor and disappearing from sight.
In the course of the summer season of 2023, federal wildlife officers tried to seize 841. They despatched out boats, rafts and swimmers. She evaded each try and ultimately gave delivery to a pup, whom she cradled on her chest as she floated atop the water — or positioned on high of the kelp as she dived to the underside to retrieve meals. And he or she stopped chasing surfboards.
Eric Laughlin, spokesman for the California Division of Fish and Wildlife, stated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the lead otter-response company on this case. Nevertheless, presumably because of the federal authorities shutdown, the company didn’t reply to questions in regards to the surfing-curious otter in Santa Cruz.
Laughlin stated the state company had no plans “to intervene with the ocean otter presently interacting with people in Santa Cruz.”
Analysis on California sea otters reveals that alongside the central coast, there’s “excessive individuality in food regimen and habits.” A few of the variation is the results of comparatively low meals availability, requiring the intelligent creatures to determine distinctive methods of discovering and retrieving meals.
Nevertheless, the researchers additionally famous some behavioral traits appeared to observe household strains, particularly these “maintained alongside matrilines.”
Surfers at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz on July 13, 2023.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Instances)
Otter 841 was born in captivity to a mom who had been captured after spending an excessive amount of time interacting with folks and their watercraft. Since being launched into the wild, she has given delivery to not less than two pups.
In keeping with Woodward, the otter now frequenting Steamer Lane has been actively pursuing surfers almost day-after-day since Oct. 16, when it bit a surfer named Bella Orduna and stole her board.
Dripping moist and donned in a moist swimsuit, Richard Walston, 55, stated he hadn’t had any interactions with the surfer-curious creature — and he’s a frequent surfer within the space.
“Positive, I see otters,” he stated. “However they’re so targeted on their meals, I’m unsure they even discover we’re round.”
Wildlife officers are urging surfers and boaters to maintain their distance from this otter, and others — not solely will this cut back the probabilities of an interplay, which may very well be harmful for each folks and otters, it’s the legislation.
