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Two young otter cubs were saved after being discovered huddled inside a car engine to keep warm in North Ayrshire. The small cubs, thought to be female and around nine to ten weeks old, were first noticed by locals in the town of Skelmorlie, who had seen the animals several times throughout the day on Friday. Concern grew as the cubs appeared exhausted and cold, ultimately leading to their rescue.
Karen Watson, a resident of the area, took the cubs in overnight after they were removed from the engine bay. She kept them contained in a cardboard box placed in her bathtub to provide a safe, warm environment. Experts affiliated with the SSPCA charity emphasized that had the cubs been left to survive on their own for any longer, their chances of survival would have been extremely slim. The cubs, now named Valentine and Juliet, are currently under the care of the SSPCA.
Karen recounted the events to BBC Scotland News, explaining how the rescue was a community effort. She said there had been “a lot of chat on Facebook groups about them,” with one neighbour posting a video showing the cubs in a garden earlier that day. While spotted numerous times, it was only that evening when her cousin and his girlfriend found the cubs lying helplessly on the road, having taken shelter in the engine bay. Attempts to coax the animals out were made, but they had settled down to rest. Unable to reach animal rescue services due to them being closed, the group contacted the police, who advised helping the cubs if they were in immediate danger.
After the otters were safely extracted, Karen took responsibility for their care overnight despite not having experience with otters. She searched online for guidance and provided the cubs with water and a secure space. The next day, she contacted the UK Otter Trust, who advised on suitable food options like salmon and trout. Although prepared meals were offered, the cubs did not eat due to their young age and ongoing weaning process. Later that morning, the SSPCA collected Valentine and Juliet to transfer them to their care centre in Fishcross, Clackmannanshire. Karen expressed her mixed emotions about handing them over but felt proud that the local community had come together to support the animals. Dave Webb from the UK Wild Otter Trust highlighted that the cubs’ vulnerable state meant leaving them alone could have led to their deaths from predators such as foxes, and commended the locals for their intervention. There is hope that once fully recovered, the cubs may be returned to the Skelmorlie area
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