A sea otter terrorizes Santa Cruz surfers and steals their boards

It’s been two years since the Santa Cruz sea otter, known as 841, gained international attention and fame by attacking surfers and their surfboards as human surfers stood in the way of the legendary Steamline’s waves.

It happens again.

This time, the otter’s identity is unclear. That’s because while 841 (who was born in captivity) had a bright blue tag on her right flipper, this otter is wild.

Experts say that 841 may have chewed its tag, or it may have broken itself. Otter flipper tags are designed to last the animal’s life, but research shows they don’t always last that long.

It’s also possible that this is a completely different otter that may have seen 841 in the past, and prefers her cute and bold behavior. It could be a relative. Or it could be that this otter just has the same surfboard appetite and hostage-taking drive.

About three dozen surfers lined up Thursday afternoon to catch a wave at Steamer Lane — a stretch of the Santa Cruz coastline near the city’s iconic lighthouse and surfer statue.

Mark Woodward, a Santa Cruz-based social media influencer and dedicated 841 watcher and historian, said he wasn’t sure if it was 841, or someone else.

Otter 841 jumps on a surfboard after chasing a surfer in Santa Cruz in July 2023.

(Mark Woodward)

He said that the animal’s behavior and MO were almost identical. However, while 841 stopped near the reef in 2023, it appears that this otter spent a lot of time a little further away – near the beach’s kelp beds.

He saw 841 last year – marking – visiting the same waters but keeping his distance from the crowd.

The only otter seen on Thursday was way off shore, swimming on top of a kelp bed in the back – presumably eating some tasty meat, like crab or abalone, plucked from the ocean floor.

Pelicans swam across the cresting waves, while harbor seals watched the surfers for a while before diving below the surface and disappearing from view.

In the summer of 2023, federal wildlife officials attempted to capture 841. They sent boats, rafts and swimmers. She resisted every attempt and eventually gave birth to a pup, which she clutched to her chest as she floated on top of the water – or placed on top of kelp as she dived to the bottom to get food. And she stopped chasing surfboards.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Eric Laughlin said the US Fish and Wildlife Service is the lead otter response agency in the case. However, possibly due to the federal government shutdown, the agency did not respond to questions about the surfing-curious otter in Santa Cruz.

Laughlin said the state agency has no plans to “interfere with sea otters currently interacting with humans in Santa Cruz.”

A study of California sea otters shows that along the Central Coast, “there is a great deal of individuality in diet and behavior.” Some variation is the result of relatively low food availability, requiring intelligent creatures to find unique ways to find and obtain food.

However, the researchers also noted that some behavioral traits seem to follow family lines, particularly those “maintained with maternal lines.”

Surfers at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz on July 13, 2023.

(Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)

Otter 841 was born in captivity to a mother who was captured after spending too much time in contact with people and their water. Since being released into the wild, she has given birth to at least two puppies.

According to Woodward, the otter now regularly goes to Steamer Lane and has been actively chasing surfers almost every day since Oct. 16, when it attacked a surfer named Bella Ordona and stole her board.

Richard Walston, 55, drenched and dressed in a wetsuit, said he had no contact with the surfer – the strange creature – and that he is a frequent surfer in the area.

“Sure, I see otters,” he said. “But they were so focused on their food, I’m not sure they even realized we were around.”

Wildlife officials urge surfers and boaters to keep their distance from these otters and others — not only will this reduce the chances of interactions, which can be dangerous for both people and animals, it’s the law.