Latest news with #UKWildOtterTrust
Wales Online
5 days ago
- General
- Wales Online
Tiny otter orphan found squeaking and blind was a 'miracle in the making'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A tiny otter cub with his eyes still closed was found squeaking next to a stream in Gwynedd. Weighing less than a can of fizzy drink, the odds of him surviving without his mother were considered 'almost impossible'. Passers-by heard his high-pitched squeaks next to a small, overgrown stream near Bala. His mother was nowhere to be found - it's thought she may have been killed on a nearby road. Weighing just 340 grams, and estimated to be less than seven-weeks-old, the Eurasian otter cub was still too young to have opened its eyes for the first time. Knowing his chances were slim, his finders contacted wildlife charity UK Wild Otter Trust (WOT). The charity's first response was that they were looking at a 'miracle in the making'. The cub duly went on to become the smallest cub it has ever successfully rescued. The baby otter was given the Welsh name Idris - thought to translate as 'fiery leader'. For the next few days, Idris was kept alive on milk until he was strong enough to be handed over to the charity. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community Idris was slowly weaned onto fish before being transferred to WOT's specialist Otter Rehabilitation Centre in north Devon. There he met two young otters close to his age, Scratch and Mingo. (Image: UK Wild Otter Trust) The charity said Mingo is something of a miracle himself, saying: 'He was discovered in the most unlikely of places, wandering inside the flamingo habitat at Colchester Zoo. 'How he ended up there remains a mystery, but it makes for an extraordinary pairing: two young otters, each with survival stories that defy the odds, now learning and growing together on their road back to the wild.' Over the coming months, the trio will undergo a long rehabilitation process, learning vital survival skills before their eventual release into the wild. Until then, WOT founder and CEO Dave Webb said the cubs are living proof that sometimes the smallest creatures can have the biggest will to live. He added: 'Cases like Idris are incredibly rare. For an otter cub so young and so underweight to survive without its mother is remarkable. 'Idris has shown unbelievable strength and now, alongside Mingo and Scratch, he has the best chance of living wild again. Get all the latest Gwynedd news by signing up to our newsletter - sent every Tuesday 'Idris is the smallest cub we've rescued who has managed to survive, so for all of us at the Centre, it's a real victory to see him out of the woods and thriving.' Find out what's happening near you
North Wales Live
5 days ago
- General
- North Wales Live
Tiny otter orphan found squeaking and blind was a 'miracle in the making'
A tiny otter cub with his eyes still closed was found squeaking next to a stream in Gwynedd. Weighing less than a can of fizzy drink, the odds of him surviving without his mother were considered 'almost impossible'. Passers-by heard his high-pitched squeaks next to a small, overgrown stream near Bala. His mother was nowhere to be found - it's thought she may have been killed on a nearby road. Weighing just 340 grams, and estimated to be less than seven-weeks-old, the Eurasian otter cub was still too young to have opened its eyes for the first time. Knowing his chances were slim, his finders contacted wildlife charity UK Wild Otter Trust (WOT). The charity's first response was that they were looking at a 'miracle in the making'. The cub duly went on to become the smallest cub it has ever successfully rescued. The baby otter was given the Welsh name Idris - thought to translate as 'fiery leader'. For the next few days, Idris was kept alive on milk until he was strong enough to be handed over to the charity. Idris was slowly weaned onto fish before being transferred to WOT's specialist Otter Rehabilitation Centre in north Devon. There he met two young otters close to his age, Scratch and Mingo. The charity said Mingo is something of a miracle himself, saying: 'He was discovered in the most unlikely of places, wandering inside the flamingo habitat at Colchester Zoo. 'How he ended up there remains a mystery, but it makes for an extraordinary pairing: two young otters, each with survival stories that defy the odds, now learning and growing together on their road back to the wild.' Over the coming months, the trio will undergo a long rehabilitation process, learning vital survival skills before their eventual release into the wild. Until then, WOT founder and CEO Dave Webb said the cubs are living proof that sometimes the smallest creatures can have the biggest will to live. He added: 'Cases like Idris are incredibly rare. For an otter cub so young and so underweight to survive without its mother is remarkable. 'Idris has shown unbelievable strength and now, alongside Mingo and Scratch, he has the best chance of living wild again. Get all the latest Gwynedd news by signing up to our newsletter - sent every Tuesday 'Idris is the smallest cub we've rescued who has managed to survive, so for all of us at the Centre, it's a real victory to see him out of the woods and thriving.'
Wales Online
5 days ago
- General
- Wales Online
People heard squeaking near a stream and the answer was impossibly cute
People heard squeaking near a stream and the answer was impossibly cute Idris weighed less than a can of pop, could not open his eyes, and is the smallest otter ever rescued by the UK Wild Otter Trust Idris the tiny otter (Image: UK Wild Otter Trust) A tiny otter weighing less than a can of pop has survived against the odds after members of the public in a Welsh community heard him crying near a roadside. The Eurasian otter cub, weighing just 340g, was found near Bala in Gwynedd. People heard his high-pitched squeaks near a small stream with his mother nowhere to be found. It's thought she is likely to have been killed on a nearby road. At under seven weeks old the otter's eyes were still closed making his chances of survival without his mother extremely slim. Locals who found the otter made contact with the UK Wild Otter Trust and officers from the charity went to the scene to rescue him. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . For the next few days Idris, as he has been named, was kept alive on milk until he was strong enough to make the journey to the charity's care. Under expert hands Idris was slowly weaned onto fish before being transferred to the charity's Specialist Otter Rehabilitation Centre in North Devon. There he met two young otters close to his age. One of them had wandered into the flamingo habitat at Colchester Zoo although nobody knows quite how he got there. 'These cases are incredibly rare,' said Dave Webb, founder and CEO of the UK Wild Otter Trust, which is run entirely by volunteers. "For an otter cub so young and so underweight to survive without its mother is remarkable. Idris has shown unbelievable strength and now he has the best chance of living wild again. Article continues below "Idris is the smallest cub we've rescued who has managed to survive so for all of us at the centre it's a real victory to see him out of the woods and thriving.' Over the coming months Idris will undergo a long rehabilitation process, the charity added. Idris the otter with his new friend, a teddy bear (Image: UK Wild Otter Trust) The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is the only otter species native to the UK. It has been in the UK for millions of years and is a member of the Mustelid family, which also includes the badger, mink, weasels, stoats, martens, and polecats. They are found as far west as Ireland, as far east as China, as far south as North Africa, and as far north as the Arctic Circle. According to the RSPCA if baby otters have their eyes closed it's because they are too young to go above ground on their own. According to the UK Wild Otter Trust: "Otters are protected by law. It is illegal to hunt them, trap them or disturb them. The otter receives the highest protection possible as a European protected species – and its holts are protected too. Article continues below "Unfortunately, even though the species has made a distinct comeback and is now found often in our rivers, wild otters rarely live beyond four years of age. The oldest recorded otter reached around 19 years of age but this is exceptional. "Reports now state that otters inhabit every county in the UK – great news for the otter – but our river systems still require extensive habitat management to restore them to a healthy level that can sustain fish stocks and wildlife."
The Independent
30-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
Wild otter cub rescued after sneaking into zoo's flamingo enclosure
A wild otter cub who was discovered curled up in a zoo's flamingo enclosure has defied the odds to be given a 'second chance at life'. Mingo, as he is now known, weighed just 800 grams when he was found 'snoring his head off' by staff at Colchester Zoo. They said it was a 'mystery' how the cub, who is thought to be just a few months old, made his way into the habitat. Mingo was found by Jody Bedford, the team leader of the Tiger Section at Colchester Zoo. He said he was 'stunned' when he discovered the cub. "Mingo was found early in the morning, curled up on the bank of the main lake out in the open, fast asleep and snoring his head off,' he said. 'When he was found we gave him a few hours to see if Mum would reappear. Knowing otters, it's odd behaviour to see a pup out in the open like he was. He seemed very strong and was very vocal when awake.' Zookeepers called on rescue teams to come and help the tiny animal, who they said would have had 'zero' chance of survival without immediate intervention as otter cubs are heavily reliant on their mothers. 'Mingo arrived at the centre very dehydrated, weak and frightened,' Rosie Catford, founder of Wildlives Rescue who initially picked Mingo up, said. 'He responded quickly to emergency care, but was not the easiest of cubs to bottle-feed. Otters need specialist care, and as we've worked with the UK Wild Otter Trust on many previous occasions, a call was made to their centre. Transport was quickly arranged, and Mingo was off to Devon to receive the specialist care he needed.' Mingo is now living at the UK Wild Otter Trust (UKWOT)'s specialist facility in Devon where he will now be cared for until he is ready to be released back into the wild. 'We're still baffled as to how Mingo ended up in the flamingo habitat- it's a total mystery,' said Dave Webb, Founder of the UK Wild Otter Trust. 'But what's absolutely clear is that he wouldn't have survived much longer on his own. 'Otter cubs this young rely entirely on their mothers, and without immediate intervention, Mingo's chances were zero. Thanks to the quick response from CZS and Wildlives Rescue, we've been able to give him a second chance at life, and he'll be released back into the wild when he's strong enough.'
BBC News
30-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Otter cub rescued from Colchester Zoo's flamingo enclosure
A wild otter pup who "baffled" experts by turning up in a zoo's flamingo enclosure has been rehomed at a rescue a few months old and weighing just 800g (28oz), the pup - now called Mingo - was spotted by surprised staff at Colchester Zoo in Essex."Mingo was found early in the morning, curled up on the bank of the main lake, out in the open, fast asleep and snoring his head off," said tiger section team leader Jody Bedford, who first saw is now receiving specialist care at a centre run by the charity UK Wild Otter Trust (UKWOT), based at Umberleigh in North Devon. "When he was found, we gave him a few hours to see if mum would reappear," added Ms Bedford."Knowing otters, it's odd behaviour to see a pup out in the open like he was. "He seemed very strong and was very vocal when awake."The smooth-coated otters habitat is just across the path from the Chilean flamingos section at Colchester Zoo - but the otter pup was not one of Webb, UKWOT founder, said: "We're still baffled as to how Mingo ended up in the flamingo habitat - it's a total mystery." 'Second chance' He added: "But what's absolutely clear is that he wouldn't have survived much longer on his own."Otter cubs this young rely entirely on their mothers, and without immediate intervention, Mingo's chances were zero."He praised the quick response of both zoo staff and the wildlife rescue charity WildLives for giving Mingo a "second chance".A WildLives volunteer picked up Mingo and took him to a rescue centre in Colchester before the pup was transferred to North Webb said the otter would be released back into the wild "when he's strong enough". Rosie Catford, WildLives founder, said: "Mingo arrived at the centre very dehydrated, weak and frightened."He responded quickly to emergency care, but was not the easiest of cubs to bottle-feed."Transport was quickly arranged, and Mingo was off to Devon to receive the specialist care he needed." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
