One of the smallest otters ever found in Britain is being cared for alongside its siblings after being discovered in a fallen tree.
The tiny triplets were rescued from a hollow trunk at just five weeks old, with no sign of their mother.
One was so small it weighed about the same as a cup of sugar, making it the smallest ever seen by experts.
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Eurasian otter cubs usually stay with their mother for around a year, leaving the trio extremely vulnerable.
They were discovered by a groundskeeper at Compton Verney Art Gallery in Warwickshire, who alerted the Wild Otter Trust.
A member of the charity’s specialist team travelled from its base in South Molton, Devon, to collect the orphans.
The two female and one male cubs, named Snap, Crackle and Pop by staff, are now thriving, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Dave Webb, founder and CEO of the UK Wild Otter Trust, said the situation had been critical.
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He said: “We really thought it would be unlikely for all three cubs to survive – at that age, they’re so small and vulnerable.
“And it was likely they’d been without their mother for some time.
“They had not opened their eyes yet, which really showed how in danger they were alone in the wild.
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“So when they all pulled through, we were absolutely thrilled.”
Dave added that one cub was particularly tiny.
He said: “One of the three – Pop – is actually the smallest cub we’ve ever cared for, so it’s incredible to see her thriving now.
“When we collected her, she weighed less than three hundred grams, so you can imagine how tiny she was.”
The UK Wild Otter Trust is currently racing to rebuild its facilities after being forced to relocate from its original North Devon site.
Staff are dismantling and rebuilding rehabilitation facilities while continuing to care for animals.
Dave added: “It’s certainly a tough period for us
“We’re working day and night – quite literally – to set up our new centre, but the cubs in our care, and any new ones needing our help, remain our top priority.
“Cubs as young as Snap, Crackle and Pop require hand-feeding every couple of hours, so it’s an incredibly intensive process.”
The UK Wild Otter Trust is entirely run by volunteers and relies on public donations.
Supporters recently helped raise more than £30,000 towards rebuilding the charity’s rehabilitation centre and otter hospital, which will eventually house up to 60 animals.
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