Yorkshire Water releases two orphaned otters into the wild in the River Aire

The young otters, Ebb and Flo, were recently named by Yorkshire Water’s customers in a Facebook competition.

In January 2021 the cubs were separated from their mothers due to bad weather. After numerous attempts to reunite them failed, Ebb and Flo were admitted to the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Hospital.

After 13 months of rehabilitation, the RSPCA identified the best site for the pair to be released back into the wild. The release is the second time the three organisations have collaborated, having previously worked together to successfully rehabilitate and release a pair of otter cubs near York in 2021.

Otters almost became extinct in the UK in the 1980s but have since made a comeback. A reduction in harmful pesticides and improved river quality has provided a better environment for otters to reproduce and thrive in the wild.

Of the otter population in the UK, James Bevan, chief executive of the Environment Agency recently said: “The otters are back ... because the rivers are healthier. That is still a fragile recovery for the otter, and we need to ensure that it doesn’t go into reverse again.”

Yorkshire Water worked closely with the RSPCA to identify the right habitat for Ebb and Flo to be released along the River Aire – the wildlife charity did a thorough assessment of the site and is satisfied the environment is a suitable home for them. The otters will be kept in a pen on site for 10 days so that they can get used to their new surroundings – before being released into the local area.

Rob Scrivens from the RSPCA said: “Otters numbers have seen a steady increase over the last 40 years – and habitats for them have improved drastically, but the population is still fragile. Working in partnerships like this one with Yorkshire Water, means that once we’ve cared for the otters at Stapeley Grange, we can relocate them to a site that meets their needs – fresh water, lots of greenery and food for them to eat.”

Helen Slinger, head of sustainable business at Yorkshire Water, said: “It’s a privilege to be working with the RSPCA and Wild Aid once again. We’re working hard to improve river health in a number of ways, and we’re pleased that the RSPCA has now identified a number of riverbank locations on our sites as good habitats for otters to be released.”