Hope the rescued otter cub.
A tiny abandoned otter cub has been rescued by sanctuary carers who have named her Hope.
Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary yesterday (Saturday) received reports of a young otter left alone in a South Whiteness garden.
By the morning, the cub had made her way to an outhouse where she was curled up on a pile of hay.
Carers from the sanctuary drove down to the rescue.
They arrived to find the “tiny wee otter cub” curled up and making little squeaks, clearly missing her mum.
After carefully picking the cub up and taking her back to the sanctuary, they managed to persuade her to drink milk from a bottle.
The carers believe the tiny otter may only be three weeks old.
“Keeping an otter this age alive after she’s been abandoned by mum is a real challenge and demands round the clock attention,” the sanctuary said on Facebook.
“So far, so good. She has managed to suck from the bottle and seems to be settled, but it will be a few days (and nights) before we can be confident that she will make it through the trauma she has just been through.
“Here’s hoping.”
The sanctuary’’s chief carer Lynn Young has named the cub Hope.
People who wish to support the sanctuary can visit www.hillswickwildlifesanctuary.org/donate/