Baby otters found wandering in streets of Fife town

Two otter cubs found wandering the streets of a Fife town have been taken into care by an animal charity.
Inver and Forth, the otter cubs found wandering in a street in Inverkeithing (Picture: Scottish SPCA)Inver and Forth, the otter cubs found wandering in a street in Inverkeithing (Picture: Scottish SPCA)
Inver and Forth, the otter cubs found wandering in a street in Inverkeithing (Picture: Scottish SPCA)

The Scottish SPCA was alerted after they were found in Inverkeithing on Saturday.

Members of the public spotted them wandering the streets in the town, making a loud peeping noise.

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The cubs are now in the care of the National Wildlife Rescue Centre.

Inver and Forth, the otter cubs found wandering in a street in Inverkeithing (Picture: Scottish SPCA)Inver and Forth, the otter cubs found wandering in a street in Inverkeithing (Picture: Scottish SPCA)
Inver and Forth, the otter cubs found wandering in a street in Inverkeithing (Picture: Scottish SPCA)

Steven Gray, centre manager, said, “The cubs are around three to four-months-old. Otters will stay with their mothers in the wild until they are over a year old.

“We suspect their mum was involved in a road traffic accident or some form of disturbance and didn’t return to her cubs so they have gone looking for her.

“They were seen wandering down the road in Inverkeithing on Saturday night.

“The female cub was spotted by someone taking their bins out. She was making very loud peeping noises which was probably her trying to call for her mum. The members of the public followed at a safe distance to a nearby field where they were able to monitor her until we arrived.”Mr Gray said the animals - one male, one female - would not have survived without their mum, and he thanked the members of the public who called them.

The otters have been them Inver and Forth.

Added Mr Gray: “They will stay with us until they are around 12 to 14 months old, just like with mum in the wild.

“We will teach them how to feed and take care of themselves and will release them when they are ready.”He said otters are very agile and can have a nasty bite - so he asked members of the public not to approach them as they can react negatively out of fear.

“They can see humans as a threat, especially when they are feeling vulnerable, so we would advise monitoring the animal and contacting us,” he said.

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“We have the necessary safety equipment to carefully contain otters and we are experienced in doing so. We wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt or an animal to be caused undue stress.”

If anyone spots a wild animal, call the SSPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.

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