A sea otter snatched a surfboard in the waters off Santa Cruz on Wednesday afternoon after almost biting a surfer, according to the Santa Cruz Fire Department.
Lifeguards were dispatched to Steamer Lane after the fire department received a call around 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to a statement the department posted on social media. Surfers were huddled around the victim as the sea otter remained sitting on top of her board when the rescue crews arrived on scene.
The female surfer was not injured, nor was she bitten by the sea otter that swiped her board, firefighters said. Lifeguards were able to recover and return the surfboard to the victim, according to the statement.
This is not the first time a surfer has had a surprising encounter with an otter at Steamer Lane. In 2023, a female sea otter, Otter 841, made waves on the internet and across local, national and international media after stealing board from surfers in the waters off West Cliff Drive. U.S. Fish and Wildlife crews attempted to capture 841 and return her to captivity. However, she consistently evaded the agency’s attempts, and remains at large.
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