Shark Kills Famous Sea Otter

A sea otter that became an ambassador for her species after a remarkable recovery from an oil tar soaking off the coast of Northern California has been killed by a shark. "Olive the Oiled Otter" made headlines in 2009 when she was found covered in oil and near death on a Santa Cruz beach. She recovered fully and went on to deliver a healthy pup years later.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says Olive was found dead by a beachgoer, and wildlife biologists found wounds consistent with a shark bite on the 7-year-old marine mammal's body. The department says Olive's wounds showed no signs of healing, indicating that she died quickly after the fatal bite. Olive had more than 5,000 Facebook followers on an account set up by wildlife officials where hundreds expressed sadness at her death. (More otter stories.)