841, The CA Sea Otter Who Steals Surfboards And Hearts, Is A Momma!

SANTA CRUZ, CA — Can we all stop picking on sea otter 841 now? The surfboard-stealing sea otter who became an internet sensation earlier this year is a mama now.

“Breaking news and a major announcement!” photographer Mark Woodward —user @NativeSantaCruz — said on X, formerly Twitter. “I’m happy and proud to announce that 841 has given birth and has a baby with her!”

Experts suspected last summer the mischievous 5-year-old sea otter was pregnant, and theorized her aggressive behavior was a symptom of hormonal surges. California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Monterey Bay Aquarium officials tried for months to capture 841, saying she posed a safety risk to beachgoers and it would be better for her to live in captivity.

Woodward, who has been tracking 841 for months, said “both mom and pup are doing fine.”

• Related: Can We Please Call 841 ‘Moxie’? She’s Sort Of Earn ed It.

“This is so amazing,” the user said. “I suspected she might have been pregnant due to her increased belly size.”

Congratulations poured in on social media.

What to name her, though (and hasn’t 841 earned the right to be called something proper, like Moxie?). Someone suggested “Snickerdoodle,” because that’s the flavor of Otter 84-branded treat Marianne’s Ice Cream in Santa Cruz is selling.

The branded ice cream is a sweet expression of how much the world has fallen in love with this otter — and joined a growing group of people who think any bad behavior on 841’s part is because beachgoers feed and harass her, and that she should be allowed to swim free in her ocean.

“She set those surfers straight before she gave birth. Wise mother, so happy for her and you are now uncle 841,” someone said X, congratulating the otter and the photographer. “Thank you for the update and more to come!”

“Yay!” another person said. “That’s why she couldn’t be caught. She knew where it was best to be. Good for her.”

And this: “Soon she’ll be teaching 841 Junior how to dodge the Man.”

Other users said the otter’s pregnancy was all the explanation they needed for the behavior.

“She was just hangry y’all lol!” one person said on X.

There was humor, too.

“Where does she find the time?” one person wondered.