Playful Otter Is Stealing Surfboards In California
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Isabella Orduna was paddling out for an evening surf at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, California, on October 15, 2025, when something nipped at her foot. Startled, she rolled into the water. To her surprise, a sea otter was perched on her surfboard!
Orduna tried to shoo the animal away, but it refused to budge. It was only when Ben Coffey with the Santa Cruz Fire Department intervened that she managed to get back her board. The otter, however, was relentless. It followed Orduna until she gave up the board and climbed onto Coffey’s to reach shore. Coffey later returned to retrieve the surfboard from the determined little thief.
Local photographer Mark Woodward, has been tracking the southern sea otter’s antics. He has seen two more similar encounters since then. The latest, on October 23, 2025, mirrored Orduna's experience. The otter hijacked the board right before the owner's eyes. The surfer managed to reclaim it, but the animal continued to chase him. It even grabbed the surfboard leash and tried pulling it backward.
This is not the first time a sea otter has caused a stir at Steamer Lane. In 2023, one named Otter 841 became a local celebrity for stealing surfboards all summer. The tactics of the recent otter strongly resemble those of 841. However, 841 — last seen in Santa Cruz in May 2024 — has shed her identifying tag. Officials are, therefore, unsure whether she has returned or if this is a new troublemaker. Meanwhile, they are urging surfers to be vigilant. They recommend clapping, splashing water, and paddling back to shore if an otter approaches.
Southern sea otters, also called California sea otters, live in nearshore waters along the central California coast. Hunted for their fur in the 18th and 19th centuries, they were thought to be extinct until about 50 were found in Big Sur, California, in 1938. Since then, protective measures have helped their population rebound to around 3,000. However, the species remains endangered.
Resources: Smithsonianmag.com, KPTV.com, KTVU.com
