With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
An Otter In Santa Cruz Is Hassling Surfers — And Stealing Their Boards
A southern otter in Santa Cruz, Calif., catches a wave after stealing a surfer's board.
(
Mark Woodward/@NativeSantaCruz
)
An aggressive sea otter in California is hassling locals by riding boards she stole from surfers in the lineup.
Steamer Lane is a legendary point break nestled along the rocky shores of Santa Cruz, home to swaths of experienced surfers, as well as a 5-year-old female sea otter with a growing reputation for repeatedly confronting surfers and kayakers.
Videos across social media show the otter hoisting itself out of the ocean and onto boards while surfers sit back in awe. At times, she's chewed on the boards or forced surfers to surrender their boards altogether.
Onlookers in the videos can be heard laughing in jest at surfers' misfortune, but officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say the otter poses a public safety risk.
Sponsored message
"While there have been no confirmed reports of injury, due to the highly unusual behavior of this otter, kayakers, surfers, and others recreating in the area should not approach the otter or encourage the otter's interactions," the USFWS said in a statement.
-
For the last decade, the cougar called Griffith Park home and lived a remarkably adventurous life. -
We can’t think of many places you could see wild bears, parrots, mountain lions, whales and buffalo (yup!) all in the same day, but this is Southern California — and you totally could. -
Bulldozers carved up the side of the 101 Freeway as part of a major step in the construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills.
An otter at a popular surf break in Santa Cruz has been confronting surfers, going as far as stealing their boards and riding waves.
(
Mark Woodward/@NativeSantaCruz
)
Sixty-year-old Santa Cruz native and photographer Mark Woodward said he has photographed hundreds of otters over the years, but has never seen something like this. He's witnessed the otter bully surfers three times in less than a week.
"I saw the first incident on June 18 and I didn't know what was happening," Woodward told NPR. "... It was quite astounding."
The USFWS said the otter's behavior is "concerning and unusual," and though the exact cause is unknown, officials said it could be associated with hormonal surges or being fed by humans.
The otter at Steamer Lane will live out the rest of its life in captivity once caught by the USFWS and aquarium staff. She's no longer afraid of humans, and if the otter were to bite or harm a person, she would have to be euthanized.
(
Mark Woodward/@NativeSantaCruz
)
Sponsored message
Southern sea otters are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and are protected under the Marine Mammal Act as well as California law, the USFWS said. After being hunted to near extinction for their fur in the 1700s and 1800s, the population has rebounded since becoming a protected species and is a key predator in California's coastal ecosystems.
A team from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Monterey Bay Aquarium is looking for the otter to catch and rehome her. Unfortunately, once the otter is caught, Monterey Bay Aquarium spokesperson Kevin Connor told NPR she won't be able to return to the wild.
The animal, officially known as otter 841, was born in captivity — because its mother had also been too friendly with humans — and then successfully released into the wild in June 2020, Connor told NPR. It wasn't until September 2022 that she started exhibiting her bizarre behavior at Steamer Lane.
At the time, CDFW and aquarium staff were able to drive the animal out of the area, a process called hazing, in hopes of deterring her from interacting with people. But her most recent interactions show she's no longer afraid of humans, Connor said.
"Trying to recapture the otter is an effort to avoid anything more drastic. If the otter were to harm or bite a person, the USFW, which is responsible for managing the population of these animals, would have to begin discussions of euthanizing the animal," Connor said. "That's the reality, and nobody wants to see that."
The southern sea otter was believed to be extinct until a family of 50 was found in Big Sur in 1938. Since being labeled an endangered species, they have bounced back from near extinction.
(
Mark Woodward/@NativeSantaCruz
)
Once caught, she will be taken to the aquarium for an exam before being moved into her forever home at an USFWS-approved location. Like her mother before her, otter 841 has been deemed un-releasable, Connor said.
Sponsored message
The southern sea otter was believed to be gone forever until a family of 50 was found in Big Sur in 1938, Connor said. Today, they number approximately 3,000, a mere 30% of what scientists believe the original population was before their near brush with extinction.
The Santa Cruz Police Department warned locals about an ill-tempered southern sea otter confronting people at a popular surf spot known as Steamer Lane along West Cliff Drive.
(
Courtesy Santa Cruz Police Department
)
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
