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It's otter terror again, Santa Cruz
Los Angeles Times
|October 28, 2025
Has the menace from 2023 returned to attack surfers? Locals and experts weigh in.
THE SEA OTTER known as 841 chews on a stolen surfboard off the Santa Cruz coastline in July 2023.
(MARK WOODWARD)
It’s been two years since a Santa Cruz sea otter, known as 841, garnered international attention and celebrity by attacking surfers and their surfboards as the human wave riders alley-ooped over the waves of the legendary Steamer Lane.
It’s happening again.
This time, the identity of the otter is unclear. That’s because 841, who was born in captivity, carried a light blue tag on her right flipper and this otter is naked.
Experts say that 841 could have chewed off her tag or that it could have broken off on its own. Otter flipper tags are designed to last an animal's lifespan, but research shows they don't always last so long.
It’s also possible this is an entirely different otter that may have watched 841 in the past and is adopting her curious and bold behavior. It could be a relative. Or it could be that this otter just has a similar surfboard appetite and hostage-taking drive.
This story is from the October 28, 2025 edition of Los Angeles Times.
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