The surfboard-stealing sea otter has a traumatic backstory

An amazing video!
This video of the sea otter attacking a surfboard yesterday was shared me and is being posted with the photographers permission. The video must remain in this tweet to be shared. This is a dangerous sea otter, avoid it if at all possible! pic.twitter.com/N7qPMFVRrt

— Native Santa Cruz (@NativeSantaCruz) July 10, 2023

This may seem cute but it’s not, this sea otter was very aggressive and the surfer actually abandoned his board and swam to shore. I believe this is the same otter as in my previous photos, though I understand there was a second otter on the board at first 1/2 pic.twitter.com/VtCeOVQ9tm

— Native Santa Cruz (@NativeSantaCruz) July 9, 2023

Enter the water at your own risk!
I was talking with a reporter when a City employee walked up and posted this sign pic.twitter.com/atK5zUMAv7

— Native Santa Cruz (@NativeSantaCruz) July 11, 2023

Fox:

Wildlife officials said the otter had been on their radar for years.

The CDFW said she was actually born in captivity "under very unusual circumstances." Her mother was removed from the wild after she had exhibited aggressive behavior toward people "as a result of having been fed by the public and started associating people with food," state wildlife officials explained.  

After that otter was captured, biologists learned that she was pregnant. 

"She gave birth to the pup in captivity and cared for it until weaning, at which time the pup was released to the wild