“Hit and run” Otter is nursed back to health by Society volunteers and released into nature reserve.
In January 2015, an 18 month old Otter was found by a member of the public injured by the roadside. She was taken to Moorview Vets at Backworth who operated on her dislocated hip. Post-operation the Society has taken care of the Otter and we have been doing all we can to help her recover so that she can be released back into the reserve.
After two months and a lot of fish she was considered well enough to be released. Jodi Wrightson, who found the Otter, was invited back to see her released, as well as those that had helped with the care. It was an emotional moment but one that was over in a flash as “Olive the Otter” shot out of the carry box and dived into the lake in front of the Pearce hide.
Given the difficulty of observing Otters we have not been able to establish whether she was accepted back by her mother or has had to find a new territory. Otters have been seen regularly over the summer in their annual duel with the gulls and terns. The Otters seem to know that young gulls sitting on the lake are easy prey and several of them were seen being eaten.
You can read an online article about this story in the Chronicle http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/road-casualty-otter-nursed-back-9027386