--- title: "Surfboard-Stealing California Sea Otter Evades Capture Once Again" description: "74" date: "2023-07-21" modified: "2023-07-21" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/surfboard-stealing-otter-evades-capture" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "otter" - "the digest" --- # Surfboard-Stealing California Sea Otter Evades Capture Once Again ![The sea otter known as "841," wanted for harassing many a surfer, has still avoided capture by wildlife authorities.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* ## Surf and Dash The bane of human surfers cannot be stopped. **The** rogue sea otter known as "841" has claimed the waters off Santa Cruz, California as her stomping ground, making headlines for her curious but [dangerous habit of stealing surfboards]() and stylishly hanging ten. **After letting her antics slide last season,** this summer, authorities finally decided to do something about it. On July 13, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, vowed, in a joint effort, to capture and rehome 841. Now, over a week later, the otter has still eluded capture, and game wardens have found themselves at the center of a quixotic saga to apprehend what is rapidly becoming a sort of Moby Dick of surfer-harassing seals. The [*Los Angeles Times* reports]() that helicopters, divers, and dragnets have all been deployed to try to catch 841, a comical spectacle that is played out to an amused audience that gladly cheer her on. "This is her home," one onlooker told *LA Times*. "They should leave her alone and let her be." ## No Otter Choice Authorities haven't started throwing the kitchen sink yet, but they may soon have to. On Saturday, they kicked things off with a 200 yard long net, which they tried to goad 841 to swim into with her preferred quarry: surfboards. It didn't work, which several hundred spectators that day can attest to, along with the dramatic presence of a Coast Guard helicopter and two boats. Recently, their favored tactic has been sending out a surfboard and diver as "bait." An attempt on Monday used a donated, bright colored board — apparently 841's favorite kind — attached to a diver, who then slowly pulled the otter towards a boat once she hopped on board. But like every attempt before, 841 bailed once she got too close to the boat, where three other wardens lay in wait. A spokesperson for the US Fish and Wildlife service told the *LA Times* that it "may take days or weeks given logistical considerations, the sea otter's behavior, and shifting environmental conditions, such as water clarity." ## Hormone Issue It's not clear what's causing 841's aggressive behavior, but the Fish and Wildlife service has suggested that pregnancy could be one reason why. "Hormonal surges related to pregnancy have been known to cause aggressive behavior in female southern sea otters," the spokesperson said. Foiled, blockbuster efforts by authorities have had many wondering if their endeavor is worth it. And top of that, no one wants 841 to be harmed, and some worry that the "bait" tactics used could actually encourage her behavior. However long this keeps up, officials aren't ready to relent — and at least those on Team Sea Otter can take solace in the fact that euthanizing her is out of the question. So, hooray? **More on sea creatures:** [*Relentless Orca Repeatedly Rams Yacht*]() ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()