Otter 841, who became internationally famous last year for his interactions with Northern California surfers and kayakers stealing surfboards, was recently found after being missing for several months. Photos of the six-year-old otter were posted on social media over the Memorial Day weekend, showing her floating on her back in Steamboat Alley, a popular surf spot in Santa Cruz. She was recognized by the signature blue tag on one of her flippers.
Otter 841 started making waves last summer after local photographer Mark Woodward started posting photos and videos of her biting people and hogging surfboards on social media. People were attracted to her fearlessness in interacting with humans and were quick to project human motivations into her actions.
Santa Cruz local Dustin Mulvaney also posted several photos of Otter 841 on social media, and when he heard about Woodward’s recent Otter 841 sighting, he and he The children rode their bikes to the edge of the cliff above her haunt, caught a glimpse of Otter 841 and took photos.
“It’s not surprising because this is where she hangs out,” Mulvaney told the Guardian. “The last time I saw her was December or November.”
Last year, as her star rose, people began flocking to the waters she frequented to get a closer look at her. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) says these behaviors are extremely dangerous for both otters and humans because otters have sharp teeth that can bite open shellfish.
“They’re very charismatic animals, so when you put them on a surfboard, it doesn’t surprise me that it becomes memetic,” said Marr, who is also a professor of environmental studies at San Jose State University. Varney said of 841’s notoriety. “I think it’s cool because people are surprised when they hear the story about sea otters and how their populations were wiped out.”
Otter 841 has gained prominence as awareness of the role sea otters play in keeping kelp forests healthy grows. Before the fur trade drove sea otters to the brink of extinction, sea otters roamed North American waters from Alaska to Baja California. They are the smallest marine mammals in North America, measuring 4 feet long and weighing 70 pounds. They play an integral role in coastal ecosystems and are known to help control sea urchin populations, which is critical to protecting kelp forests.
Today, a small population of southern sea otters lives along California’s central coast, and the threatened animal occupies only 13 percent of its historical range.
Shortly after 841 became nationally known, FWS and Monterey Bay Aquarium staff attempted to lure her into a net so they could take her for a medical exam before transferring her to the aquarium. But 841 does not. Time and time again she escapes her captors.
841 made headlines again in October 2023 when she was found floating on the water with a puppy lying on top of her. After the birth of her child, she took a break from public life to raise her, FWS reported. “Between October 2023 and April 2024, 841 gave birth to and successfully raised a puppy. While she was caring for her puppies, 841 largely avoided human interaction,” the service said in a statement the statement said.
They also reiterated that people should avoid interacting with 841 and her fellow marine mammals. If approached, the service recommends staying as far away from them as possible, and if an otter decides to stalk you, splashing water or making yourself larger will help scare it away.
