The sea otter that continues to terrorize California surfers

Otter 841 keeps jumping over surfboards, pushing surfers out of the way

This is not a danger that California surfers usually face.

But the female sea otter has become a fierce competitor to enthusiastic flight attendants trying to catch a few waves.

The video shows a five-year-old otter known as Otter 841 jumping onto surfboards, pushing their owners away and basking in the sun while waiting for waves in Santa Barbara.

p>< p>But while most people found the encounters charming, the otter has become so destructive — stealing boards three times over the weekend — that authorities are now trying to get her back into captivity.

Fears wildlife. the animal can bite someone, which will make him lay her down.

The otter steals the surfboard

«Due to a growing risk to public safety, a team…trained in capturing and handling sea otters has been dispatched to try to capture and relocate it,» a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.

Otter 841 is the first time started climbing surfboards in 2021, and she has become more daring over time.

Jun Li, 40, a software engineer, was the victim of one of her captures on Monday while surfing. on Steamer Lane, a popular surf spot in Santa Cruz.

«I tried to swim away, but I couldn't get far before he bit off my leash,» he told the New York Times.

The animal then climbed onto the board and started biting it and tearing out pieces.

«I tried to take it off by flipping the board over and pushing it away, but it was so fixated on mine for some reason, it just kept attacking» , he said.

Otter 841 takes the surfboard, forcing the owner to jump off the board

Last month 16 -year-old Noah Wormhoodt was forced to jump off his board when Otter 841 approached him.

“It seemed friendly, so we put up with it. It was a pretty cool experience,” he said.

“The otter broke, catching a couple of good waves.”

But Gina Bental, director and senior scientist at Sea Otter Smart, said, that contact with humans is dangerous because if someone is bitten, the otter will have to be put down.

Officers hope to return the otter to the Monterey Bay Aquarium before it is transferred to another aquarium.

They are still struggling to catch the otter, which «talentedly dodges» their attempts.