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In June, a rogue sea otter began terrorizing Santa Cruz lineups by stealing surfboards. The critter was eventually identified as Otter 841, and the ensuing stream of photos and videos of the thief nabbing boards or overturning kayaks while generally causing mayhem captured the minds of a growing horde of fans. The legend of 841 was finally solidified when it managed to repeatedly evade capture from wildlife officials. Otter 841’s story quickly took the internet by storm, and prompted more than one think piece on what it meant as a metaphor for the human experience in the water.
Now, Otter 841 has been seen with a pup. “Based on what I thought was a growing tummy, I was thinking she might be pregnant” wrote Mark Woodward, a photographer who has been documenting 841 since it first began its reign of terror. After seeing an otter with what looked like a newborn pup, Woodward immediately looked for the signs that it was in fact 841. He continued, “I kept watching it through my zoom lens and when I finally saw the blue tag, I felt myself smiling and almost started crying, I kind of feel like a proud papa.”
It’s a development that is sure to warm the hearts of 841 fans, but might also partially explain her previous interactions with humans. Previous articles suggested that the aggressive behavior may have been a result of hormonal changes, which some are now speculating could have been a result of the pregnancy. Other officials have ascribed the otter’s demeanor to learned behavior from being approached and fed by humans.
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The pup seen with 841 is the latest in a proud lineage of aggressive otters. As the LA Times reported earlier this year, 841 is actually the offspring of an otter that began aggressively approaching kayaks in Monterey Bay. When that otter was trapped, researchers found out it was pregnant. It then gave birth to 841, who was subsequently tagged, released and tracked.
However, while it might be tempting to try to see the otter in person, Woodward told SF Gate that people should keep their distance and avoid interacting with the animals, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act and California state law.
