The BC SPCA Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre team are celebrating two orphaned otters returning to the wild after months in care!

Last summer two adorable otter pups were rescued just weeks apart, each having lost their mothers far too early. When they met, something special happened and an immediate bond was formed. They became each other’s constant companions, playing, snuggling and growing up side by side.

Without their mother’s guidance, these babies wouldn’t have survived a cold winter alone. It’s heartwarming to know that thanks to the caring generosity of people like you, they were given a safe place to grow up wild, and a future back in nature where they belong. 

Will you help more wild babies get that same second chance?

Your kind gift will ensure wildlife in crisis receive the specialized medical attention, nourishment and care they need to thrive. The best part… they will be given a second chance to return home to the wild.

As with all wildlife in our care, our highest priority is for wild animals to stay wild. The team takes every precaution to minimize human interaction; always wearing gowns, gloves, boots, masks and full-face visors. For their best chance of surviving in their natural habitat, we worked to ensure these young otters wouldn’t associate people with safety or food. Instead, the best comfort came from having each other.

At first, they were so small they needed to be bottle-fed specialty otter formula four times a day. Within just three weeks, these young ones were feeding themselves a variety of fish, swimming in their own pool, and exploring their upgraded enclosure with wide-eyed curiosity. Once they were self-feeding, human interaction was kept to a minimum – just the way we like it!

Otter pups normally stay with their mothers for up to a year in the wild, so we knew these two would need long-term care, a spacious environment, and plenty of enrichment to mimic natural experiences and keep their curious minds active.

If your heart is full reading this and you’d like to help more animals get a second chance at life in the wild, please consider making a kind gift today.

From dirt bins of earthworms, to sniff out sensory experiences, playing with shells and seaweed to trying crabs, clams and oysters for variety; these pups had a rotating buffet of enrichment. The goal? To keep their instincts sharp, and their bodies and minds engaged, just as they would be in the wild. It was a joy to watch them growing strong, playful and mischievous. Wrestling, swimming and creating their own otter-style chaos – these young ones were never bored!

When the time came, their release was a big moment to celebrate. Two wild lives returned to their home. The next chapter for these otters is back in the hands of Mother Nature!