841+1: beloved mischievous otter who swiped surfboards gives birth to pup
A sea otter who captured hearts and surfboards this past summer has become a mother, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
The sea otter, known as 841, rose to national prominence this past summer after reports and photos of an aquatic mammal harassing surfers and swimmers became national news. Now, she’s making headlines again as images of her floating on her back with a small otter lying on her belly are circulating.
Now that 841 has given birth, officials are emphasising that people should stay away from the duo.
“To help give sea otters and their pups the best chance at survival in the wild, it’s important for members of the public to give them space, especially when recreating on the water. Any attempts to approach from the water could be detrimental to the otter’s survival,” the FWS said in a 26 October statement.
In July, 841 gained a cult following for her unusual interactions with surfers and kayakers in the waters near Santa Cruz. No one knew what was behind her behaviors, but experts with the wildlife agency suspected that she could be dealing with hormonal changes brought on by pregnancy or people feeding her.
Over the course of several days, staff with California’s department of fish and wildlife (CDFW) and the Monterey Bay aquarium attempted to catch 841 using nets, but the elusive otter bested the humans each time – much to the delight of online commenters who readily projected human values on to 841.
To many, 841 was a creature taking ownership of her watery home and avoiding capture because deep down she knew that captivity awaited her and, unbeknownst to the public, her offspring. Her antics even inspired Tshirts and tote bags depicting 841 flying her knubby middle finger.
In September 2022, after reports that she was approaching people, the FWS tried to undo 841’s positive association with humans through a process called hazing, which can include yelling or shaking a kayak paddle at the animal, but that did not deter the mischievous critter.
The new pup appears to have been born in open waters, unlike 841, who was born at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). Otter 841’s mother, known as 723, was captured after the Monterey Bay aquarium received reports that she was approaching kayaks. Aquarium staff learned that people were feeding her squid and bait fish, which led to a positive association with humans and a reliance on them for food.
Otter 841 spent her early life at UCSC with her mother, where staff helped her learn how to survive on her own and not seek out human interaction for food. She was released in 2020 at Moss Landing, a popular surfing and nature-watching area on the coast of Monterey county. For the first year, she lived as a normal otter does: distrustful of humans and regularly on the hunt for shellfish.