Durham orphaned otter cub recovers after being found in bin

The RSPCA believes someone threw the otter cub called Eve into a bin thinking she was dead

A young orphan otter cub is recovering after being found in a bin suffering from hypothermia.

She was spotted by a member of the public in the rubbish near Sunderland Road in Durham on Christmas Eve and taken to a nearby vet.

The RSPCA believes whoever found her had discarded her as they thought she was dead because she was so cold.

The cub, who has been called Eve, will be released back into the wild once she has been rehabilitated.

RSPCA Inspector Steph Baines, who was called by the vet, took Eve to be treated at a wildlife venue in North Yorkshire.

Eve will need up to a year of rehabilitation at the centre before being released into the wild

She said: "It appears that someone found the tiny otter cub and because she was so cold thought she was dead, so discarded her in a bin. Then another member of the public later noticed some movement so rushed her to a nearby vets.

"She was suffering from hypothermia due to the cold and had to be warmed up slowly and then she was given fluids and hand-reared with kitten milk mixed with fish every two hours and started to recover from her ordeal. We decided to name her Eve as she was found on Christmas Eve."

'Made a comeback'

The tiny cub has now been taken to the RSPCA's Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, near Nantwich, in Cheshire, where she will be rehabilitated.

It could take up to 12 months before Eve is well enough to be returned to the wild.

Lee Stewart, manager at Stapeley Grange, said: "Otters weren't protected by legislation until 1978, at which point numbers were low, but over time their numbers have steadily increased and they have made a comeback and we are seeing more being brought into Stapeley Grange."