Otter gets in tense standoff with young surfers off California coast

Key Points:

• An otter approached and climbed on a surfer's board at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, seemingly aggressive, but no injuries were reported after surfers scared it away.
• This incident is part of a series of unusual marine animal encounters along the California coast, including a recent attack on paddle-boarder Heather Gray by a sea lion near Santa Cruz.
• Gray was bitten multiple times and knocked into the water; she required urgent medical treatment including tetanus and rabies shots following the attack.
• The Marine Mammal Center reports that sea lions and fur seals in Monterey Bay are suffering from domoic acid poisoning, caused by harmful algal blooms, which may lead to erratic and aggressive behavior in these animals.
• Researchers are investigating the reasons behind the increased number of affected marine mammals, as the neurotoxin accumulates through the food chain and impacts animal health and behavior.