Kelly and Noddy were brought into the National Wildlife Rescue Centre at Fishcross on Saturday February 14 after being discovered huddled together in a car engine in North Ayrshire.
The Scottish SPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre is caring for an “unusual” number of otters this year as the charity marks World Wildlife Day 2026.
The centre, which is located at Fishcross, Alloa, is currently looking after 12 otters that have arrived from right across Scotland, from Perthshire all the way down to Dumfries and Galloway. Many require round-the-clock care and enrichment.
Two of which that have captured everyone’s hearts are Kelly and Noddy, a pair of cubs that were rescued on Saturday February 14 after being discovered by a member of the public huddling together for warmth inside a car engine in Skelmorlie, North Ayrshire.
Both are healthy and doing well
The dynamic duo was taken in for the night by a local woman, who kept them in a cardboard box placed in her bath. The next morning, the Scottish SPCA arrived to take the pair to the National Wildlife Rescue Centre. Both are healthy and doing well in the care of the charity, with the centre team working hard to feed them up so they gain a bit of weight.
The centre is also rehabilitating another young otter that was rescued from the Isle of Arran at the start of February. Yuri was found by a member of the public lying on a tarmac drive. He was very weak and was taken to the vet to be checked over. It was found that the cub only weighed 1kg, with the vet giving him some oral rehydration fluid and keeping him warm which soon perked him up.
After a three-day stint being cared for at the vet, the otter was collected from the practice and was brought over on the ferry to Troon, where he was met by the Scottish SPCA and transported to the Wildlife Centre where he is receiving expert care.
We have seen a much higher number of otters
Wildlife Operations Lead for the Scottish SPCA, Sean Meechan, said: “Over the past three months we have seen a much higher number of otters come into our care at the one time than we have over the last few years with all of them being young abandoned or displaced young.
“Currently we have 12 onsite undergoing rehabilitation and being reared by the team who are carefully integrating some of the young who are of a similar age-class and size, encouraging and allowing them to socialise, interact and perform all the natural behaviours they need to hone and develop in order to be successfully released back into the wild.”
In future, once some of the otters have grown a bit bigger, the team are hoping to send them to the International Otter Survival Fund on the Isle of Skye where they will continue to be rehabilitated and receive specialist care.
Over 90 pups admitted in the last five months
As well as otters, the centre also tends to a number of other species, including grey and harbour seals. Last May, the centre saw 25 harbour seal pups arrive at once, many of which were orphaned, and that number continued to grow until their release later in the year. The centre is also currently managing its busiest period for grey seal rescue and rehabilitation, with over 90 pups admitted in the last five months. You can read more about the hard work of the team and the launch of the charity’s seal appeal on the our website.
The centre is committed to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing wildlife, with 4,514 animals arriving at the centre for specialist care since January 2025. Annually, the centre cares for around 5,000 – 6,000 wild animals.
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