Summer in Santa Cruz has brought a new wave to the surfing scene, and it's not your typical surfer dude. In June 2023, an adventurous sea otter has been spotted stealing surfboards and even catching waves in the local surf spots according to KRON4.
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
Known as Steamer Lane, the popular surfing destination has been historically considered a "locals only" surf spot, but this furry visitor quickly became the talk of the town.
The cute and clever female sea otter began swiping surfboards on June 18 at Cowells, a crowded surf spot for beginners, and progressed to mid-sized Indicators, and eventually moved on to the big waves of Steamer Lane. The otter even managed to catch a few waves atop a commandeered surfboard, much to the amusement of onlookers.
However, the furry bandit has not been all fun and games. In the past five days alone, three more aggressive incidents have been reported according to ABC7 News. Surfers often struggle to reclaim their surfboards, and some have even paddled out of the water with deep bite marks in their soft-top boards.
In response to the otter's escalating behavior, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has posted warning signs along the cliffs above Steamer Lane, notifying visitors of the presence of an aggressive sea otter in the area. Wildlife officials have been monitoring the water in hopes of capturing the otter, but until now, the marine mammal - characterized by a tracker and tag on its fin - has remained elusive.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has been supporting efforts to recapture the otter. If she is caught, the aquarium plans to provide a health exam and care before moving her to a long-term home.
This sea otter's unusual behavior may be due to her captivity-born origin which lessened her fear of humans after being released into the wild. Another possible explanation for her antics and aggression could be hormonal surges or previous experiences being fed by humans. David Ebert, a professor at SJSU's Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, noted that while sea otters may appear cute and cuddly, they are in fact pretty aggressive animals as reported by ABC7 News.
As the otter continues to elude capture, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) urges visitors to give her distance and exercise caution in the area. In the meantime, locals and surfers alike are left to wonder how long the Surfing Sea Otter Bandit of Santa Cruz will continue to cause a splash in their community.
