We otter be surfin’ mon
Regular readers of this newsletter may recall that I’m fascinated by orcas wrecking ships. Of course, I agree with scientists — these whales are just having a bit of fun, and I absolutely do not think, even for a minute, that it’s some kind of cetacean statement about wealth inequality (wink-wink, nudge-nudge).
But now I’ve learned that sea otters have taken to stealing surfboards. The plot thickens.
My first thought when I heard about this epic sea otter larceny was that regardless of the otters’ intentions, it was another much-needed reminder that humans don’t own this planet. We share it with innumerable other beings. And when we’re in the ocean, more so than in other places, we’re in someone else’s home.
Then it occurred to me: surfers aren’t pollution-spewing luxury yachts. They’re relatively quiet, and they don’t take up much room. Basically, they’re just doing what otters do: having fun.
So now that I think about it, this surfboard stealing makes a lot of sense. Sea otters are known for their fun-loving personalities. They’re the scamps of the sea. If they wore clothes, they’d wear flip flops, beanies, and baggie boardshorts. Maybe t-shirts that say “Life’s a beach.” And if they could speak English, they’d probably say “stoked” a lot. Maybe they just want to hang ten with the humans.
So that’s my theory about sea otters. It’s as ridiculous and unscientific as the one about orcas making social statements in the Strait of Gibraltar — and just as much fun. Why let ocean animals have all the laughs?
Shaka, dudes.
Avery
image by Rudy Anderson via Pixabay