North Devon charity plans to build lifesaving otter hospital

A North Devon otter charity has announced plans to expand and build an otter hospital to save and rehabilitate wild otter cubs. 

The UK Wild Otter Trust, which rescues otters across England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, has already rescued 19 cubs and successfully released 8 so far this year.

The entirely volunteer-run charity rehabilitates and releases orphaned otter cubs after a year-long stay at their centre.

However, they are running out of space to treat the growing number of wild otters needing help.

Dave Webb, the CEO who founded the trust in 1998, announced that he and his team of volunteers plan to build an otter hospital to accommodate the increased numbers of cubs.

He said: “We currently have six indoor cub rooms, which unfortunately isn’t enough for the numbers of otters we’re treating. Having additional space is vital to giving rescued cubs the best chance of rehabilitation and eventual release back into the wild. Without the new otter hospital, we’ll really struggle to provide the animals with the treatment they need, which would be devastating.”

The charity has secured a deal with a local company to provide materials for the hospital for £2,000. They are now asking wildlife lovers for donations to help cover the cost.

This fundraising campaign follows an earlier appeal to “slow down for otters,” as many cubs are being orphaned due to motorists killing mother otters. 

Traffic, along with flooding, is a significant factor in leaving otter cubs without their mothers, who they depend on for the first year of their lives.

Regarding the increase in otters being hurt on the roads, Dave said: “We have seen an increase in cubs being left alone due to the females being unfortunately killed by traffic. It is thought that clipping an otter at 30mph, it is still likely to kill the animal. We are trying to make drivers more aware of the surroundings and to be more vigilant when driving in certain areas such as close to rivers or bridges that cross rivers etc - we think that by making more people aware, more accidents could be avoided”

The new otter hospital aims to provide much-needed space and resources to ensure the survival and eventual release of otter cubs back into the wild.