Officials look for sea otter in Santa Cruz, CA after human encounters
Officials are warning swimmers and surfers in California to be aware as capture efforts are underway for a sea otter that has been acting aggressively toward humans.
The 5-year-old female southern sea otter in the Santa Cruz area is exhibiting “concerning and unusual behaviors,” the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service told USA TODAY. A team trained in the capture and handling of sea otters from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the nearby Monterey Bay Aquarium are working together to capture the animal.
The otter has shown signs of aggressive behavior toward surfers at Cowell Beach in Santa Cruz, on the coast of central California, KTVU in Oakland reported.
While U.S. Fish and Wildlife called the sea otter’s behavior “highly unusual,” aggressive behavior from female southern sea otters may be due to hormonal surges or from being fed by humans.
The otter was born in captivity after her mother was removed from the wild for aggressive behavior toward people as a result of being fed, KSBW reported.
After she was born, she was tagged at release and was continually monitored.
KTVU reported that wildlife officials intervened in 2022 when the otter first began interacting with humans. In May of the same year, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said she was observed with a pup after returning to the Santa Cruz area.
There have been no confirmed reports of injuries caused by the sea otter. Wildlife officials are warning kayakers, surfers and others in the area to not approach the otter or encourage its interactions.
