Wildlife officials attempt safe capture of unusually aggressive sea otter in Santa Cruz

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 14, 2023

Contacts:

Ashley McConnell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ashley_mcconnell@fws.gov (for questions related to southern sea otter conservation and management)

Eric Laughlin, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Eric.Laughlin@wildlife.ca.gov (for questions related to tracking, monitoring and capture)

Kevin Connor, Monterey Bay Aquarium, kconnor@mbayaq.org (for questions related to otter history and care after capture)

Photos for media use: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAMnT3

Wildlife officials attempt safe capture of unusually aggressive sea otter in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, Calif. - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) are responding to reports of a 5-year-old female southern sea otter exhibiting concerning and unusual behaviors in Santa Cruz, California, including repeatedly approaching surfers and kayakers recreating in the area. Sea otters are naturally wary of people, but this individual has been aggressively approaching people and biting surfboards.

Upon capture, the sea otter will undergo a health assessment and eventually be rehomed in a zoo or aquarium. 

Due to the potential public safety risk, a team from CDFW and the Monterey Bay Aquarium (Aquarium) trained in the capture and handling of sea otters has attempted capture of the sea otter when conditions have been favorable since July 2, 2023. Standard methods for capturing healthy wild sea otters have been unusable or ineffective so far due poor underwater visibility, the sea otter’s wariness of nets from previous capture attempts, and the sea otter’s behavioral patterns varying from day to day. Scientists suggest successful capture may take days or weeks given logistical considerations, the sea otter’s behavior, and shifting environmental conditions.

“The usual method for safely capturing healthy, wild sea otters is a clandestine underwater approach,” according to Colleen Young, an environmental scientist and sea otter biologist with CDFW. “In this case, however, the water has generally been too murky for us to see the animal from below. We are adapting other capture methods to this situation but must ensure the safety of both the sea otter and the people attempting capture, which has limited our options and opportunities.”

The sea otter is tagged with a radio transmitter and is being actively monitored by wildlife biologists. The Service authorized the capture of the sea otter after recommending hazing techniques, which were only temporarily effective.

“The goal is the safe capture of this female sea otter to remove the potential public safety risk while also recognizing and acknowledging the important role sea otters play in coastal ecosystems along the Central California coast,” said Lilian Carswell, Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Marine Conservation Coordinator with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “While this sea otter's behavior is highly unusual, this situation amplifies the importance of always keeping a safe distance from all wildlife and not encouraging interactions, such as feeding, that may put an animal or yourself at risk.”

Due to her repeated aggressive behavior and potential public safety risk, upon capture the sea otter will be transported to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where she will be examined by experienced veterinary staff. The Service, CDFW, and the Aquarium will work with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to find her a long-term home in a zoo or aquarium. Euthanasia and other lethal methods are not under consideration.

“Although this otter was born in an animal care facility, she was raised by her mother with minimal human contact,” said Jess Fujii, Sea Otter Program Manager with Monterey Bay Aquarium. “When she was released, she was monitored by wildlife biologists. This otter behaved like a typical otter in the wild for over a year before interactions with people began.”

This sea otter exhibited similar unusual behavior in the Santa Cruz area in September 2022, at which time CDFW and Monterey Bay Aquarium staff successfully hazed her, preventing further incident throughout the winter. There have been no reported interactions with people by this sea otter while at her overwintering site.

Fujii added, “While the exact cause for this sea otter’s behavior is unknown, aggressive behavior in female southern sea otters may be associated with hormonal surges or due to being fed by humans.”

Wildlife officials urge kayakers, surfers, and others recreating in the area to avoid approaching sea otters or encouraging any interactions with wildlife. If you see a sea otter near you, leave the immediate area.

To report a human-sea otter interaction, call the Monterey Bay Aquarium at (831) 648-4840.

About southern sea otters

Southern sea otters are listed as federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act. They are also protected under the Marine Mammal Act and California state law. Sea otters play a fundamental role in the ecological health of nearshore ecosystems. Their presence in the ocean enhances biodiversity, increases carbon sequestration by kelp and seagrass, and makes the ecosystem more resilient to the effects of climate change climate change
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Unlike whales and seals, sea otters lack blubber. Instead, they rely on their dense fur coat and elevated metabolism to stay warm. The average adult sea otter must eat 20 to 30 percent of its body mass in food each day just to meet its energy requirements. Sea otters need to conserve energy, which means that uninterrupted rest is an important part their well-being.

To minimize the potential for disturbance and harm to sea otters, people sharing sea otter habitat should:

• Be aware of your surroundings and alert to nearby wildlife when recreating
• Maintain a safe distance - if a sea otter notices you, you are likely too close and should back away
• Keep kayaks at least 60 feet (or five kayak lengths) away, passing by parallel rather than pointing directly at any animals and moving slowly but steadily past rather than stopping
• Keep pets on a leash on and around docks and harbors and never allow interactions, even if the animals appear to be playing
• Never feed sea otters, as they can become aggressive, which could result in their removal from the population and placement in an animal care facility

Like all sea otters along the North Pacific rim, southern sea otters were hunted to near extinction during the fur trade of the 1700s and 1800s. The subspecies survived because a few dozen animals eluded hunters off the rugged coast of Big Sur. Southern sea otters are now protected under the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act and California state law. The southern sea otter population has grown slowly since receiving federal protections in the 1970s, fluctuating around 3,000 in recent years.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why are the agencies trying to capture this sea otter? 

Sea otters are naturally wary of people. Due to this sea otter’s unusual and repeated aggressive behavior approaching people and biting surfboards, and her apparent lack of fear of humans, the agencies agreed that the sea otter poses a potential threat to the public and herself. Efforts to employ hazing techniques to prompt the sea otter to avoid people have so far been unsuccessful. Sea otters have very strong jaws and may carry zoonotic disease that could be passed to a victim if bitten. Additionally, engaging with people and chewing on surfboards pose risks to the sea otter, including a potentially fatal intestinal blockage from consuming styrofoam.   

The team will continue to monitor the sea otter and make attempts when conditions are favorable so long as the sea otter’s behavior continues to pose a potential threat to the public or herself. If you are bitten by a wild animal, contact your physician immediately.

What would cause this aggressive behavior? 

This sea otter’s aggressive behavior may be the result of a number of causes. Aggressive behavior in female southern sea otters may be associated with hormonal surges or due to being fed by humans. Although this sea otter was born in an animal care facility, she was raised by her mother with minimal human contact. When she was released, she was monitored by wildlife biologists. She behaved normally in the wild for over a year before interactions with people began. 

This sea otter exhibited similar unusual behavior in the Santa Cruz area in September 2022, at which time CDFW and Monterey Bay Aquarium staff successfully hazed her, preventing further incident throughout the winter. There have been no reported interactions with people by this sea otter while at her overwintering site. 

How long could capture take? 

Wildlife biologists continue to monitor the sea otter, however capture attempts have been so far unsuccessful. Wildlife biologists suggest successful capture may take days or weeks given logistical considerations, the sea otter’s behavior, and shifting environmental conditions, such as water clarity. Crews make regular decisions whether to proceed with capture attempts based on these conditions.  

What if the sea otter isn’t captured? 

This sea otter was successfully hazed in fall 2022, preventing further incident until recently. If ocean conditions prevent successful capture efforts, or if the interactions with people cease, capture efforts may be suspended or halted entirely. The purpose of the capture efforts is to eliminate the potential risks posed to both people and the sea otter associated with the current interactions. 

Is the sea otter pregnant?

Scientists can't determine whether or not this female sea otter is pregnant without performing a full health evaluation; however, hormonal surges related to pregnancy have been known to cause aggressive behavior in female southern sea otters. Should she be observed with a pup in the future, the team would continue to assess her behavior and evaluate potential next steps at that time.

What techniques are being used to try to capture the sea otter?
Multiple capture techniques have been attempted in accordance with environmental conditions and the sea otter's behavior. These techniques have included both surface and underwater approaches that have been developed for emergency responses such as oil spills and for sea otter care, research, and conservation. 

How do trained teams attempt capture of a sea otter?

For more than 30 years, sea otters have routinely been captured for research to aid in their recovery and to understand their role in the ecosystem. These captures allow researchers to evaluate the health of individuals and to apply identification tags to facilitate monitoring in the wild. Monitoring contributes key data that helps scientists assess the overall health of sea otter populations.

Wildlife biologists professionally trained in sea otter conservation and behavior attempt capture by employing techniques that minimize risk to the animal and take into account personnel safety, the safety and health of the sea otter, the sea otter's behavior and location, water clarity, risk of disturbing other sea otters in the area, and the likelihood of success. If the team's assessment of the situation during staging for an attempt indicates undue risk due to one or more of these factors, the crew may stand down for several hours to wait for conditions to change or may call off the capture attempt entirely. The primary technique used to attempt capture of sea otter 841 requires professionally trained divers to approach the sea otter underwater using rebreathers, a diver propulsion vehicle, and a Wilson trap, which consists of a soft-coated aluminum frame and a net with a drawstring. Upon capture, the animal may splash and dive in the trap, which is kept at the surface, but quickly settles before being transferred to a specially constructed capture box or kennel and transported with ice or in a climate-controlled vehicle for a full health assessment by a trained veterinarian.

The videos below show wildlife biologists conducting a previous dive capture of a sea otter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnLcdp5mKVQ

Will the sea otter be euthanized if she bites someone?
No, euthanasia is not under consideration now, nor would it be in the future for this sea otter. Ocean users should understand and respect the risks posed by entering ocean waters and the plethora of ocean life that call these waters home. Teams will continue to attempt safe capture of this sea otter and will coordinate with suitable licensed facilities to provide her with long-term care as an ambassador for her species in a zoo or aquarium. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information about our work and the people who make it happen, visit https://www.fws.gov/cno/ or connect with us via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.