People are getting too close to wildlife in Santa Cruz as they try to get a look at the now-famous sea otter that's been stealing surfboards.
Otter 841, known for getting close to surfers and biting or stealing their boards, has become a viral sensation. But now with all of the attention on that otter, people are getting too close to other otters in their natural habitats.
Last week, leaders said a local photographer documented people breaking up a group of about 10 otters, with some people getting within a couple feet of the animals.
"It's really important to be able to give sea otters their space," said Dan Haifley with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. "These photos showed evidence that people were not following those rules."
Wildlife leaders say getting too close can raise an otter's stress level and giving them food is never a good idea.
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