RSPCA: Take me to the river - rescued otter returns to nature

Wednesday, 13 April 2011 12:00 AM

An otter has been released back into the wild a year after being discovered in an emaciated state and rescued with a bag of prawns.

The six-month old female was weak and undernourished when Moira Banks came across her in her home in the Brecon Beacons, Wales.

She heard a 'scratchy' sound coming from under the stairs one morning in April last year and was surprised to find a furry face staring back at her when she shone a torch into the darkness.

The resourceful animal-lover, who often cares for wildlife in her garden, tempted the otter out of the hidey-hole with a trail of prawns leading to a cat box. Once the animal was inside the box, Mrs Banks called the RSPCA.

The otter was collected by an RSPCA inspector and taken to the charity's West Hatch wildlife centre in Somerset.

She was treated for bite wounds and an infected foot, and allowed to gradually recuperate in rehabilitation paddocks. Wildlife staff then monitored her and fed her on trout until the weather had settled and she was deemed old and strong enough for release - back near to the same spot where she was found.

Paul Oaten, wildlife supervisor at West Hatch, said: "It is not unusual for otters to
go into houses when they are in as bad a condition as this little one was. "She was very lucky to find her way into the house of someone so quick-thinking and it is great that she made enough progress to be released back where she belongs nearly a year to the day after she was found."

Moira, along with her husband and daughter, was keen to join the RSPCA team to see their former houseguest run back into the river near their home on Monday, April 4.

She said: "It was great to see the otter released - she was so much livelier and feistier after the year of RSPCA care.

"Co-incidentally, the morning before we went to see her release my husband saw another otter, as he walked the dogs - just six feet away from him.

"They are the only two otters either of us have seen in 20 years of living here. We are hoping that the first was a male, who might come across the female, and there may soon be lots of babies."

Notes to editors:
Please call the press office for further information or images on 0300 123 0244/88

RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS
Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 08448 222888 and ask for pager number 828825
Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk

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