Abandoned otters released back into wild

The otters' release was broadcast on BBC Countryfile on Sunday

Two otters who were found abandoned in a box near a busy road have been released back into the wild.

Karma and Kismet were discovered near Sleap Airfield in Shropshire by a member of the public in October 2024. They were subsequently taken in by Cuan Wildlife Rescue in Much Wenlock.

After being transferred to the UK Wild Otter Trust, based in north Devon, they were given 10 months of care, including around-the-clock feeding, medical care and work to ensure they retained their wild instincts, before being released.

"Seeing Karma and Kismet swim away into freedom was an emotional moment for all of us," said the otter trust's founder, Dave Webb.

"This is why we do what we do, to give otters a chance to live wild and free, as nature intended."

The release was captured on BBC Countryfile on Sunday.

The pair were found in a box near a busy road last year

Recalling the day they were found, Mr Webb said: "Although we've sadly seen our share of cruelty over the years, this was a particularly callous act."

"To leave two tiny cubs in a box on the roadside is beyond comprehension.

"We appealed for information at the time, desperate to find out how - and why - this could happen."

No one has come forward with information about the circumstances that led to the otters being abandoned.