Santa Cruz’s surfing otter continues to escape Fish and Wildlife

By Josh Copitch

Click here for updates on this story

    SANTA CRUZ, California (KSBW) — Santa Cruz’s surfing otter, known to pirate surfboards and for aggressive behavior toward surfers, continued to elude capture on Saturday.

Photos taken by Mark Woodward show crews coming face to face with the otter but unable to snag it.

Fish and Wildlife is attempting to grab the otter so she can be moved to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The Monterey Bay Aquarium says their plan is to capture the sea otter, reexamine and rehome it at another aquarium.

Woodward said that Fish and Wildlife was unable to grab 841 on Saturday even though photos show them coming within feet of the otter.

While 841 has reportedly been connected to surfer interactions for years, it wasn’t until June of 2023 that the pirate was caught on camera pirating surfboards. Police in Santa Cruz say 841 has had at least four encounters this summer with surfers and is known to bite, scratch and get on top of surfboards.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife told KSBW 8 that even if the otter was to bite a surfer, they would still attempt to capture and rehome her.

“Euthanasia would not be under consideration,” said Ashley McConnell with the agency, even if the otter becomes more aggressive.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.