The infamous Otter 841 made headlines over the summer for stealing surfboards and evading capture off the coast of Santa Cruz.
Some researchers suspected that pregnancy hormones might have caused her unusual behavior. Now, it looks like they were onto something.
Local photographer Mark Woodward, known online as Native Santa Cruz, was the first to notice what he described as a "little fur ball" with 841 earlier this week.
"I was standing right up here and actually let out a little scream of excitement, and I felt myself actually getting a bit emotional," said Woodward while standing on the cliff overlooking Steamer Lane, the famous surf spot where he took the first viral photos of Otter 841 in July. He's been photographing the otter for about four months now.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tried to capture Otter 841 several times over the summer, but she evaded them and eventually stopped approaching surfers. A spokesperson for the agency says there are no future plans to put her or her pup in captivity.
Jessica Fujii, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otter program manager, says scientists will continue to monitor the new mother and baby from afar.
"Hopefully now that she has her pup, she'll focus on her pup and not surfboards," said Fujii.
Fujii says she’s glad Otter 841’s fans are excited, but it’s extremely important to give these endangered animals space. Sea otters are protected by federal and state laws, and staying at least 60 feet away will help keep them healthy and safe.
