Earlier this month, a new creature joined orcas in protecting the oceans from pesky humans. That creature? A rogue sea otter with an adorable habit for stealing surfboards right out from underneath people. The otter has been spotted off the coast of California, and apparently, she’s not easy to capture.
Since making her viral debut, marine experts from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Monterey Bay Aquarium have been doing their damndest to catch “Otter 841.” While her antics are so hysterical that she’s already built up a dedicated fanbase, Otter 841 reportedly poses a public safety risk due to her “highly unusual” and “aggressive behavior.”
That said, good luck catching her. Via New York Post:
The team of experts have been trying to use Otter 481’s love of surfboards against her. A swimmer has been towing a baited surfboard in their attempts to capture her. The otter has hopped on the board multiple times in the past few days, but as soon as a wildlife official tries to get near her, she dives off, Woodward told the Associated Press.
“They can’t throw a net over her in the water. They can’t tranquilize her because of fear of her drowning. So they really need to get hands on her,” he said.
Despite the warnings from marine experts, fans continue to flock to the Santa Cruz beach hoping for a chance to spot Otter 841.
“Just leave ‘em alone,” a local resident said about the capture efforts. “Just let ’em have fun. Hasn’t bitten anybody. Roughs up the board. It’s like a dog with a chew, you know?”
(Via New York Post)
Source: https://uproxx.com/viral/otter-stealing-surfboards-california/
