California Sea Otter Makes Headlines with Unusual Behavior and New Pup
Pregnancy Hormones May Explain Unusual Behavior
Otter 841, a 5-year-old female California sea otter, made headlines this summer for her unusual behavior of stealing surfboards and fearlessly approaching humans off the coast of Santa Cruz, California. Wildlife officials initially expressed concern about public safety and announced plans to capture and rehome her, but she has evaded their efforts for months.
Now, however, the 841 saga has a new twist: Last week, she was spotted with a pup. According to a statement from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), it is likely that Otter 841 was pregnant this summer, which could help explain her unusual behavior.
“Hormonal surges related to pregnancy have been known to cause aggressive behavior in female southern sea otters,” the statement said.
Wildlife Officials No Longer Plan to Capture Otter 841
Given that Otter 841 is now a new mom, wildlife officials have announced that they will no longer attempt to capture her or her pup. Instead, biologists will continue to monitor her and assess her behavior.
Importance of Giving Sea Otters Space
Wildlife officials also continue to urge members of the public to give Otter 841—and all marine mammals—plenty of space so they can thrive. Sea otters are particularly vulnerable while raising their pups. In addition to the extra responsibility of caring for their young, they must find and eat up to 30 percent of their body mass every day just to survive. Since otters do not have a thick layer of blubber like whales and seals, most of their calories go toward staying warm. To conserve energy, they often float on their backs when they are not foraging for food.
“If people get too close and cause disturbance, the otters are wasting energy when swimming away,” said Jess Fujii, sea otter program manager at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. “When this happens repeatedly, it can lead to the mom or pup not surviving. It’s incredibly important for people to stay away from all sea otters, and especially those with pups.”
Legal Protections for Sea Otters
Approaching sea otters is also illegal. The creatures are protected by California state laws, as well as the federal Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act. Violators could face up to a year in jail time and up to a $100,000 fine.
Reproduction and Population Status
Female sea otters typically give birth for the first time when they reach age 4 or 5. Their pregnancies last roughly four or five months. While most California otters give birth between January and March, they can reproduce all year round.
Southern sea otters, also known as California sea otters, were nearly hunted to extinction. Off the coast of California, their numbers had dwindled to as few as 50 individuals in the early 1900s. While they have been making a comeback since then, their population has been declining in recent years, possibly because of disease, algal blooms, or shark bites.
Otter 841’s Journey
Otter 841 was born in captivity and raised at the Monterey Bay Aquarium before being released to the wild in 2020. This is her third time with a pup, though the first survived and the second did not.
It is not clear exactly when 841 may have given birth, but she was spotted swimming solo as recently as October 20. However, photographer Mark Woodward spotted a fluffy little pup next to her last week. The mother and baby were sharing a meal of crab. Woodward has coined the duo “841+1.”
“I felt myself smiling and almost started crying, I kind of feel like a proud papa,” he posted on his social media account, Native Santa Cruz. “Congratulations 841, everyone in the 831 is very happy for you.”
Since then, Woodward’s social media has been “blowing up,” with many commenters expressing joy at what appears to be a happy resolution to 841’s story.
“I’ve been thinking this whole time she was pregnant,” one person wrote on his post. “It makes my heart soar to see she evaded captivity … and is able to raise her babies where they belong, wild and in the bay!”
