Otter cub found in bin with hypothermia on Christmas Eve rescued by public and RSPCA

An otter cub was found in a bin with hypothermia on Christmas Eve before she was rescued and treated for hypothermia.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The cub was spotted by a member of the public in a bin near Sunderland Road, Durham, on Christmas Eve before she was rushed to a nearby vet.

After being seen by the vet, the RSPCA were alerted and Inspector Steph Baines took the cub to be treated at a wildlife establishment in North Yorkshire.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Steph said: “It appears that someone found the tiny otter cub and because she was so cold thought she was dead so discarded her in a bin. Then another member of the public later noticed some movement so rushed her to a nearby vets.

Young otter, Eve was rescued on Christmas Eve.Young otter, Eve was rescued on Christmas Eve.
Young otter, Eve was rescued on Christmas Eve.

“She was suffering from hypothermia due to the cold and had to be warmed up slowly and then she was given fluids and hand-reared with kitten milk mixed with fish every two hours and started to recover from her ordeal. We decided to name her Eve as she was found on Christmas Eve.”

After a few days of recovery Inspector Claire Little, based in North Yorkshire, transported Eve to the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, near Nantwich, in Cheshire.

Read More
Step up for the fight against cancer - a hero Sunderland man's New Year resoluti...

Eve will now be rehabilitated at the centre and once she has fully recovered will be returned to the wild.

Eve will remain in rehabilitation until she is well enough to be released back into the wild.Eve will remain in rehabilitation until she is well enough to be released back into the wild.
Eve will remain in rehabilitation until she is well enough to be released back into the wild.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lee Stewart, manager at Stapeley Grange explained that up until the 1980s otters were struggling in the wild as they weren’t protected by legislation until 1978, at which point numbers were low.

He said: "Otter rehabilitation is very specialised and you need to have suitable facilities to care for them. Young otter cubs can be with us for up to 12 months before they can be returned to the wild so their care is not only time consuming but expensive.

“The RSPCA is the only charity with teams out rescuing animals across England and Wales this winter. We have to be there for all kinds of animals who need help, including wildlife. We rely entirely on donations so we’re calling on animal lovers to Join the Rescue to help keep our teams doing whatever it takes to rescue, rehabilitate and release wildlife.”

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today.

Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters.

Your support for our journalism means we can continue telling Sunderland’s stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe - and click here to get a snapshot of the Echo’s news and sport to your inbox through our email newsletters.