Otters’ odyssey ends in success and freedom

Their discovery heightened fears that the shy creatures were falling victim to traffic as they tried to make their way to the nearby River Derwent.

Eighteen months on, we can reveal that the pair are now strong and healthy and were recently released at a safe, isolated site in North Yorkshire.

At 10 weeks old, the stricken siblings were plucked from the roadside by local wildlife expert Jean Thorpe who feared their mother had either been hit by a car or that the cubs had been washed far away from her down the swollen river.

Jean, who runs Ryedale Rehabilitation from her home at Norton, looked after the cubs for a few days before handing them over to the New Forest Wildlife Park. The young male and female lived there for more than a year during which time they grew into large, healthy adults, fondly referred to by their carers as Mars and Saturn.

With the backing of Natural England, Jean set up a “soft release pen” alongside the Derwent in an area of low, scrubby willows and long grass. This was sectioned off with electric fencing and a paddling pool and dry kennel were provided.

“I met one of the guys from the New Forest at a motorway service station to do the handover,” says Jean. “When I saw them again, the young cubs had become big, chunky adults. They were so beautiful, sleek and solid, and still together through it all.”

Jean brought the pair back to North Yorkshire, along with a supply of frozen fish provided by staff at the New Forest Wildlife Park. They were then left in the enclosure at the release site to settle in.

“Fish and fresh water were left at the site regularly,” said Jean. “They were undisturbed and we never saw them at all through this transition stage which is just as it should be. The food was eaten and the paddling pool sploshed in and I could see otter tunnels through the grass.”

Two weeks later the fencing was quietly flattened. Food was left out for the otters, but they were free to leave the enclosure whenever they wished.

A delighted Jean said: “A few days later, I took down more food and could see otter prints in the soft mud of the ditch. They were free at last. Thanks to all who made this possible, including Katy Blackburn, Rita Mills, Ed Heap and his team at New Forest Wildlife Park and Craig Ralston, Fallon Mahon and Steve Hiner of Natural England.”