SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KMPH) — A sea otter in Santa Cruz, California has gone from entertainer to most wanted.
In recent days the marine mammal has become aggressive with surfers and now efforts are underway to capture it.
The otter has been on a tear in Santa Cruz for three weeks. It's taken a bite out of surfboards and caused panic in the water.
Mark Woodward, a lifelong Santa Cruz resident, said "In the past five days, there's been three more incidents of him getting boards and those have been much more aggressive and have left all three of those surfers very shaken."
Woodward learned from Monterey Bay Aquarium that the sea otter was born in captivity five years ago. It has a monitoring device to track it.
It hasn't caused any major problems since being released, until a month ago.
"I saw it trying to get on a board. At first, I thought it was cute, unique. I thought it was a novelty," Woodward said.
As you can see by the bite marks on the surfboards, a sea otter has a strong jaw and teeth that can crush tough shells. Its bite has up to 80 pounds of force.
After four attacks on surfers and staking claim to their boards, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Monterey Bay Aquarium will try to capture it.
"They don't know what her problem is, if it's a medical issue or a behavioral issue," Woodward said.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials said the otter's behavior is highly unusual. It adds aggressive behavior in female southern sea otters may be associated with hormonal surges or due to being fed by people.
If captured it will wind up in a long-term home.
Woodward said one of the surfers that was attacked has vowed never to go back in the water.
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