Second chance for Eve, the otter found in a bin with hypothermia
An otter cub was found in a bin with hypothermia on Christmas Eve before she was rescued and treated.
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.
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.
“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.
Eve will now be rehabilitated at the centre and once she has fully recovered from her ordeal she will be returned to the wild.
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 otter 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.”