Twin baby otters rescued in Manitoba in need of help

A Manitoba animal rescue is looking for support for a pair of baby otters in its care.

According to the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre, the twin otters were found near a marsh in St. Laurent, Man. They were weak and starving, with their mother found dead on a nearby road.

“We actually had a lot of calls about them from the community in St. Laurent…a lot of really concerned citizens were calling, because they were being found in many different yards and different areas,” said Zoe Nakata, executive director of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Friday.

“They were looking for food. Then we found another caller who had found a deceased adult otter near the road, which we pieced together that it was the mom.”

The animal rescue said one of the baby otters was attacked by a dog and needed immediate medical attention. Nakata noted the otter had some “nasty wounds” from this altercation.

She added that baby otters typically stay with their mothers for a full year, so it was obvious the twins needed some extra care and nutrition.

“They needed to come in. They needed care for those wounds, so that’s kind of the story of how they came in,” Nakata said.

“We have the facility and actually the specialized building to have them all winter.”

The otters require food, vitamins, a clean enclosure and a clean pool. They also need medical check-ups, antibiotics and other medicine. Wildlife Haven expects the twins will remain in care for four months.

Nakata said otters are active animals, so the rehab centre is trying to give them a lot of activities.

“A lot of different enrichment that we try to challenge them with, and they just love to play together,” she said.

“They’re very social and it’s really good that they came in together as siblings. They’re really going to learn to be otters from each other and explore their natural instincts.”

To help cover the costs to care for and rehabilitate these young animals, Wildlife Haven is looking to Manitobans for help.

Nakata said the best way to contribute is through donations, which can be done online. 

“We’re a non-profit charitable organization and we depend on the generosity of our community,” she said.

“We know that Manitobans are so generous, especially this time of year. So it’s an amazing opportunity for anybody that feels a special connection to these guys to donate.”

The Wildlife Haven Rehab Centre has not given names to the otters, as they’re trying not to get too attached.

“Once we release them back into the wild, we need to make sure they’re wild animals and back into nature as they’re supposed to,” Nakata said.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace.