The surfers and swimmers in Santa Crus, California are facing an unusual threat these days. Surfers are losing their surfboards and while surfacing their surfboards are getting attacked by a small, dark, whiskered, and fluffy ea-creature. Yes! you heard it right. US Wildlife Department recently launched a search operation after multiple reports and complaints emerged that an 'aggressive' sea otter is attacking and stealing surfboards from surfers in the waters of Santa Crus, California. The sea otter which is termed as 'underwater thief' is named 841. Recently, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced it had launched a multi-agency search for Otter 841 in an attempt to capture and rehome her, after observing her "concerning and unusual behaviour".
Teams from the US and state wildlife agencies have been sent out to sea, armed with a bait surfboard, but so far, she has not been captured. Following Otter 841's capture, it will mark the end of a brief reign of terror along the balmy coast of Santa Cruz. However, a section of Americans on social media are not happy with the US Wildlife Department's action and they are demanding to stop the search operation of the sea otter.
What the Otter 841 is doing?
As per US media reports, 841 has been approaching surfers at sea, stealing and even damaging their equipment - leaving large bite marks on surfboards. Notably, the incident is quite strange as sea otters have never gone near surfers before. The story of Otter 841 is also quite interesting one. Her story starts with another Otter named 723. Otter 723 is the mother of Otter 841. Otter 723 lived in the wild in the central coast of California. She was fed by humans and soon became habituated to people, and their snacks. As a result, she began approaching kayaks and paddleboards in search of food, Therefore, Otter 723 was re-captured and sent to live at the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center in Santa Cruz. There, scientists soon realised she was pregnant with a female pup. That pup was Otter 841.
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. I believe this is the same otter as in my previous photos, though I understand there was a second otter on the board at first 1/2 pic.twitter.com/VtCeOVQ9tm
— Native Santa Cruz (@NativeSantaCruz) July 9, 2023
This happened to me last year in Santa Cruz: pic.twitter.com/wrqD9xU93z
— Shay Tiziano (@ShayBlondie) July 13, 2023
How Americans reacted to the Sea Otter search operation?
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A user wrote, "Where is the Marine Lab or Monterey Bay to protect both otter and surfers?"
Another user wrote, "First it was the orcas…The Animal Kingdom is getting angry with the Human Race."
Obe more user wrote, "You know male sea otters have a nasty reputation right?
- bite the noses off female sea otters when they mate with them
- take baby sea otters from their mothers until the mothers get them food
- necrophilia w/dead sea otters & other creatures
- kidnapping & raping baby seals"