MELBOURNE, Fla. – Staff and volunteers at Florida Wildlife Hospital and Sanctuary have been raising three orphaned North American river otter pups.
The pups were found in Titusville at a residential construction site. When they were discovered, the adult otter ran off, leaving the three pups abandoned.
At 5 weeks old, the pups are still dependent on their caretakers.
"No matter how hard we try, mom does a better job than we do", said Tracy Frampton, the hospital's executive director.
If the otters survive the early period of their lives without their mother, they'll be moved to a large outdoor enclosure with a pool. They would be released in July or August.
If you would like to help the otter pups the hospital is mainly in need of financial donations, as raising each other will cost around $2,300. The hospital also needs plastic playground equipment and 12-inch PVC pipes.