Tiny otter cub rescued from busy dual carriageway

A young otter cub has been rescued from a busy Norfolk dual carriageway thanks to the efforts of a North Devon charity.

The incident began when a motorist, Ryan, was driving along the A412 Great North Road near Thetford and pulled over onto the hard shoulder to fix a flat tyre. 

While waiting for assistance, Ryan heard a faint squeaking noise. 

To his shock, he saw the tiny otter cub dart out of the bushes and toward the road.

Over the next few moments, Ryan carefully coaxed the cub back into the undergrowth near a stream on three separate occasions. 

However, on the fourth attempt, he managed to catch the cub and place it under a nearby bridge in what he hoped would be a safer location. 

After fixing his tyre and continuing his journey, Ryan returned less than two hours later, only to find the cub in the exact same spot, still squeaking.

Unable to leave the animal in distress, Ryan took the cub to a nearby veterinary practice. The vet warned that the cub was in critical condition and unlikely to survive without being transferred to a specialist wildlife centre. 

Acting swiftly, the vet contacted Woody’s Wildlife Rescue, who then reached out to the UK Wild Otter Trust, based in North Devon.

Now named Diesel, the cub is receiving round-the-clock care at the UK Wild Otter Trust’s dedicated rehabilitation centre in Devon. 

Diesel is expected to remain there for up to a year until he is strong, independent, and ready to be released back into the wild.

“It’s a miracle Diesel was found at all, let alone by someone so determined to help,” said Dave Webb, Founder of the UK Wild Otter Trust. 

“Otter cubs simply can’t survive without their mother at that age. Thanks to Ryan’s persistence and the coordination with Woody’s Wildlife Rescue, Diesel now has a real chance at life.”

The fate of Diesel’s mother remains unknown, though it is feared she may have been struck by a vehicle, given the location where Diesel was found.

Without Ryan’s intervention, the charity said the orphaned cub would likely not have survived the night.

The UK Wild Otter Trust works alongside the public and wildlife partners across the UK to rescue, rehabilitate, and release orphaned and injured otters, providing these animals with a second chance.