Attack Of The Sea Weasel!

Otter 841 of the Monterey Bay, the rascally little carnivore who’s been terrorizing surfers and stealing their boards, has the potential to be a new horror movie concept. 841 of the 831 (the local area code) has made headlines all over the world with her antics and is gaining a following. People gather on the bluff overlooking Steamers Lane, a prime Santa Cruz surf spot, to get a glimpse of the elusive sea otter.

Otter 841 was born in captivity at UC Santa Cruz about five years ago and released into the wild in June 2020. Her mother was an orphan rescue, eventually released back into the wild, then had to be recaptured because of aggressive behavior toward people. The fruit didn’t fall far from the tree.

The Department of Fish & Wildlife have been trying to capture 841 but to no avail. She probably senses that the humans are after her so for fun she turned it into a game of cat and mouse. The latest news from the Monterey Bay Aquarium is that 841 may be pregnant so there’s a possibility her offspring will continue the tradition of harassing the surfers of Santa Cruz.

As to the horror movie concept, a monstrous sea otter wreaking havoc upon a quiet coastal community is both old and new. The plot is clearly from Jaws, but with a sea otter instead of a great white shark. Another aspect about all species of otter is that they are closely related to the weasel within the mustelidae family, and weasel is a better villainous name. Otters conjure up images of cute frolicking, but the word weasel has never been used in a complimentary way. The sea weasel beast can also be a metaphor for mother nature pushing back against human encroachment and over-development upon the earth by bringing planetary balance, like the whale in Moby Dick.

This concept still needs development but it has potential. At least it has a memorable title and that’s a good start.

UPDATE: On October 24, 2023 Otter 841 was seen with a newborn pup, this can be worked into a sequel.

Photograph of Otter 841 on surfboard by Mark Woodward

©2023 Robert Kirkendall