Otter-ly amazing! The 'otter hospital' to help care for cubs

We all need some care when we're not well, and otters are no different.

In fact, the UK Wild Otter Trust is building a dedicated otter hospital to help baby otters, called cubs.

The trust, based in Devon, takes in otters from across the British Isles.

But it says it's running out of space to treat wild animals and wants to build a new facility, as there's an increase in the number of cubs needing help.

Hattie the otter cub being rescued

Why do otter cubs need rescuing?

Otters are semiaquatic mammals, which means they live in both water and on land.

Flooding is one of the big problems separating cubs from their mothers, as overflowing rivers can wash away their homes and the cubs themselves.

Rivers bursting their banks leads to problems for other wildlife too, so their food chain is affected.

The Wild Otter Trust has already rescued 19 cubs and released eight back into the wild so far this year.

Traffic can also leave cubs without their mums. The charity urges drivers to "slow down for otters" near rivers and bridges to avoid any accidents.

Currently there are six indoor cub rooms which the UK Wild Otter Trust says isn't enough to help the numbers they're now looking after.

Dave Webb, who runs the charity, says having additional space is "vital" to giving rescued cubs the best chance of getting better and eventually being release back into the wild.

The charity cares for orphaned cubs for a year, then the animals are released back into the wild.

It takes a year because that's how long the young rely on their mothers to look after them for.