'Very mischievous and bold' - Otters, still learning to swim after being rescued from exotic pet trade, arrive at wildlife park near Boston (VIDEO)
Two otters who endured a ‘particularly bad start to life’, one that left them without a knowledge of how to swim, have arrived at a wildlife park near Boston.
Indigo and Bronte have been taken on by The Ark, in Stickney.
The Asian short-clawed otters were seized by authorities after they were found in the back of a van while being smuggled across Europe as part of the exotic pet trade.
The pair were last year housed temporarily at the Netherlands-based AAP animal sanctuary, while work took place at The Ark on creating a permanant home.
Due to the high costs involved in the project, The Ark appealed for public donations.
The appeal would prove a success, providing the park with the funds it needed to make a home for Indigo and Bronte.
Jamie Mintram, of The Ark, said: “This young pair of otters have had a particularly bad start to life, having been discovered kept in sub-standard conditions and at a young age, they are struggling to swim, something you'd think is a fundamental part of being a happy healthy otter.
“Most likely this is due to being removed from mum at a very young age, when they were rescued they were of an age they should have still been with mum, but without her guidance and the lack of a suitable environment they never learnt to swim.”
Also new to the site are rescued jungle cats Yummi and Bao.
A spokesman for The Ark said: “The otters and cats are settling in well, and the otters in particular proving to be very mischievous and bold, following keepers around and stealing anything they can lay their paws on, but so far seem a bit overwhelmed at the size of their new pond. “Since their initial distrust of water, they have been getting more confident around water and the team at the Ark hope to witness them taking their first plunge in to the pond over the next few coming days.”