‘Otterly’ magical: Sea otter hitches ride on Sooke paddleboard

Despite being known to live their entire lives out in the ocean, one sea otter decided it needed a break from keeping afloat, hitching a lift on one surprised Sooke woman’s paddleboard.

Joanie Paquin was paddleboarding with her sister, exploring the waters off a Sooke beach, when the furry visitor decided to climb aboard.

“At first I thought it was escaping from some predators, but it showed no sign of stress, distress or injury,” Paquin said. “It was happily just being cute and catching a ride.”

“It is an encounter I will remember and cherish,” she added.

While the experience was an unforgettable one, she and her sister were nervous being so close to a wild animal.

Keeping as much of a safe distance as they could from the otter, Paquin steered the paddleboard back to shore allowing her and sister to disembark and give the animal space to return to the water.

“Otters can be vicious and it is important to remember that they are wild animals,” Paquin said.

“As magical and precious the moment was, (I would) never encourage such encounters,” she continued. “Wildlife should stay wild. It is important to enjoy wildlife from afar and let them be.”

The sentiment was echoed by Lara Sloan, communications advisor for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, who highlighted that sea otters are listed as ‘special concern’ under the Species at Risk Act.

“Watching marine mammals in their natural surroundings helps us to better appreciate these beautiful animals,” said Sloan. “When humans get too close to wildlife in their habitat, we risk disturbing and even harming them. There are laws and guidelines about marine mammals to protect their well-being and yours.”

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