Otter 841 continues to bring crowds and helping businesses in Santa Cruz despite not being captured
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON JULY 18, 2023 AT 8:36 PM- Otter 841 has still not been captured, but the surfboard biting sea otter is captivating people and drawing crowds to Santa Cruz.
Local businesses have also been benefiting off of this otter phenomenon.
Isa Cortez, who is a barista at local coffee shop Shrine Coffee, said that it’s been busy since the beginning of Sea Otter-gate.
“There has been a lot more people walking on West Cliff, and actually, this past Sunday was our busiest day ever” Cortez said. ““A lot of people walk up and are like, I didn't know there was a coffee shop here like now I do.”
Everyone coming to Santa Cruz is saying that they have the same thing in mind, like tourist Jessica Beane coming from San Carlos.
“I just wanted to see her in person,” Beane said. “We took steps to come here we put our puppy in daycare drove all the way down here and all that stuff just because you never know when she's gonna get captured”
People are even amused at the attempts to catch the infamous otter 841, which is making national news. Paul Sherwood is visiting from United Kingdom and is bewildered with all of the coverage and actually seeing the otter in person.
“It's almost difficult to believe so also riding a surfboard,” Sherwood said. “So I kind of believe you, but I’ve got to see it for myself.”
These animal lovers want the otter to be captured safely.
“I want her to get the help,” Beane said. “But I hope that she's released back out”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife have not yet caught the otter and released a list of answered FAQ's and said that wildlife biologists said a successful capture can take days or weeks given logistics, the sea otters behavior, and shifting environmental conditions.
Wildlife experts use various methods to try and capture infamous Santa Cruz 'surfing' sea otter
It's all hands on deck as multiple agencies are still looking for the infamous sea otter 841. This "surfing" sea otter has been pirating surfboards in Santa Cruz and is turning out to be a tricky balancing act for wildlife experts who have been given the slip so far.
“The teams are out on the water,” said Kevin Conner, spokesperson for the Monterey Bay Aquarium,
"They are exploring the areas and investigating the areas where this sea otter is known to be found, so it's a challenge."
Kevin also said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, CDFW, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium decided not to use the hazing technique because it did not work in the past.
He adds that hazing is unpleasant for the animal but unharmful, but they've decided to recapture her instead. Hazing is defined by wildlife experts as "a process where you disturb the animal’s sense of security so much that it decides to move on."
“The decision was made to go out and recapture the otter," said Conner. "It's for the animal's best interest, and it's also in the best interest of human safety."
The infamous otter has become quite the attraction and has people coming to see her.
"We saw the news of the otter, and I was very intrigued, hoping that she might appear," said Kaetta Karnes from Sunnyvale.
Kevin also said it's important for them to capture sea otter 841 because sea otters are really important to ocean health. They help maintain and keep a healthy kelp forest.
Crews will be in the water again tonight searching for the otter.
Wildlife experts seek to capture 'surfing' Santa Cruz sea otter, deemed a public safety risk
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION)- Efforts were underway to capture a sea otter repeatedly seen taking over surfboards and kayaks off Santa Cruz after wildlife experts deemed the animal presented an increasing public safety risk.
Over the weekend, the otter exhibited multiple instances of aggressive behavior toward surfers off Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz.
Henry Michelle-- a surfer who has been living in Santa Cruz for more than 20 years-- said he saw the sea otter Monday night.
"This woman was yelling at a kid for hitting the otter and kid says "I don't know what to do?” the thing trying to bite me.” said Michelle.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife said the sea otter is a 5-year-old female. They also said the sea otter was seen in the Santa Cruz area with the same unusual behavior last September.
In one case that happened on Sunday, video – posted by Santa Cruz photographer Mark Woodward (@NativeSantaCruz) – showed the animal completely fearless of a surfer, in an attempt to get on his board.
"This is a dangerous sea otter, avoid it if at all possible!" wrote Woodward as he shared the video.
An amazing video!
— Native Santa Cruz (@NativeSantaCruz) July 10, 2023
This video of the sea otter attacking a surfboard yesterday was shared me and is being posted with the photographers permission. The video must remain in this tweet to be shared. This is a dangerous sea otter, avoid it if at all possible! pic.twitter.com/N7qPMFVRrt
On Saturday, the otter had another interaction, acting aggressively toward a surfer in the famous Steamer Lane surfing area off Cowell's.
"This may seem cute but it’s not, this sea otter was very aggressive and the surfer actually abandoned his board and swam to shore," Woodward shared on social media as he posted photos of the otter on the newly occupied board.
The surfer said that he was engaged in a struggle with the animal, as Woodward described it as a "wrestling match." The otter took over the board as its own and got on it until the surfer got some help in retrieving it.
"A catamaran saw what was happening and got close, which caused the otter to get off the board and they were able to get the board," Woodward explained.
When the surfer got the board back, there were bite marks on it.
On Monday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) told KTVU in a statement that it was aware of the otter "exhibiting concerning and unusual behaviors."
The agency said a team of trained marine wildlife experts from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Monterey Bay Aquarium was in the process of working to capture the otter.
The USFWS, which determines when wildlife needs to be taken out of the wild, said it "authorized the capture of the sea otter after recommending hazing techniques, which were only temporarily effective."
Wildlife officials said the otter had been on their radar for years.
The CDFW said she was actually born in captivity "under very unusual circumstances." Her mother was removed from the wild after she had exhibited aggressive behavior toward people "as a result of having been fed by the public and started associating people with food," state wildlife officials explained.
After that otter was captured, biologists learned that she was pregnant.
"She gave birth to the pup in captivity and cared for it until weaning, at which time the pup was released to the wild and the mom was transferred to a facility for long-term care," sea otter biologist Colleen Young explained to KTVU.
The pup was tagged at release and has continually been monitored.
U.S. wildlife officials said biologists had observed her with a pup after she returned to the Santa Cruz area in May 2022.
And then last fall, they intervened when she began interacting with humans.
"She exhibited similar unusual behavior in the Santa Cruz area in September 2022, at which time CDFW and Monterey Bay Aquarium staff successfully hazed the otter preventing further incidents throughout the winter," USFWS said.
And then recently, she began to demonstrate troubling activity again.
"While the exact cause for this otter’s behavior is unknown and highly unusual, aggressive behavior in female southern sea otters may be associated with hormonal surges or due to being fed by humans," USFWS explained.
Once captured, she will undergo evaluation by veterinary staff at Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Despite her aggressiveness toward humans, U.S. wildlife officials said that there have been no confirmed reports that anyone has been injured by the animal, and they were seeking to ensure it remained that way, as they urged the public to do its part in that endeavor.
"Due to the increasing public safety risk, a team from CDWF and the Monterey Bay Aquarium trained in the capture and handling of sea otters has been deployed to attempt to capture and rehome her."
The moss landing marine laboratories said it's important for people to keep their distance from the sea otter at all costs.
“Be aware of your surroundings, and again if you see a sea otter-like this one and it approaches you, just move away from it, don't engage in it because it can definitely bite you. it can cause some injury to you,” said David Ebert, program director of the shark & research center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.
Surfing sea otter takes over paddle out at Cowell Beach
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The annual Juneteenth paddle-out at Cowell Beach took a bit of an odd turn after a sea otter approached a group of surfers and wanted to lay on one of the boards.
Photos and videos from Twitter account, @NativeSantaCruz, shows the otter riding on the board Sunday.
A little video of the sea otter that likes surf boards pic.twitter.com/X5O8CNZaCc
— Native Santa Cruz (@NativeSantaCruz) June 19, 2023
According to the account handler, the otter took a gander at a couple of other boards before settling on a bright blue one.
