Viral Santa Cruz otter '841' is back

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - The viral otter known for stealing surfboards off the Santa Cruz coast is back after disappearing for several months.

The otter known as ‘841’ hasn't been around all year, ducking from sight sometime in December before the winter storms hit.

She does have a tracker so wildlife experts can keep an eye on her.

Lilly Nord of Humboldt county said that visitors such as herself shouldn't try to disrupt the otter's ecosystem.

William Range added that he wishes visitors would just leave the otter alone.

"Don't touch it, don't get to close to it," he said. 

Last summer, Otter 841 became a bit of a summer social media sensation, garnering a lot of attention for commandeering surfers' boards and demonstrating no fear of humans. 

In one of her greatest hits, Otter 841 was actually seen wrestling a board away from a surfer on video. 

Santa Cruz photographer Mark Woodward, who goes by the handle @NativeSantaCruz on X, has been keeping tabs on the otter's hijinks for some time. 

He shares his photos of her on social media, including when she had a pup last year. 

Otter 841 can usually be spotted near Steamer Lane.