A WILDLIFE charity has thanked Salisbury residents for helping to rescue an otter found under a car.

Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital was called out after being contacted by a member of the public who had seen an otter in the Bishopdown Farm area on Friday November 5.

The charity went out to where the animal was spotted and caught the "tail end" disappearing out of sight but due to the fading light were unable to catch it.

However, the next day the wildlife rescue received another call at 9am reporting an otter under a car in Queensbury Road in Salisbury, which the charity believes is the same one seen the day before.

Marlyn Korkis, wildlife care supervisor at Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital, said: "There was some history to the otter's wandering for him to be where he was on Saturday morning. We were first called to Bishopdown Farm late in the day on Friday. He was mobile and evaded capture in the fading light.

"I was so pleased he turned up again on Saturday and marvelled how he could have travelled from the Ford side of Bishopdown Farm to Queensbury Road without sustaining serious injury."

She says the otter was "very lucky" to make it there "unscathed" and also praised the response from residents in the street who came to help with the rescue efforts with pillows, blankets, and even the shelf from a car boot.

A brush was used to prompt the otter towards the cage.

Residents came out with items to help block the otter's escape and enable it to be caught and taken back to the wildlife hospital in Newton Tony.

"The camaraderie with the residents of Queensbury Road was quite something," she added.

"If it was not for the residents coming to help we wouldn't have got it."

Once the male otter was brought back to the wildlife hospital he was given water and treated to a delicious Norwegian fresh salmon by one of the volunteers, which was enjoyed by the charity's latest arrival.

The otter has now gone to the Otter Trust in Devon who has since confirmed the otter was a young male, aged between six months and one year. It is thought he could have been struggling on his own or pushed out by other otters.

The Otter Trust will make a plan for his future release.

Most recently Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital has also come to the aid of a badger in Harnham who was very ill and sadly had to be put to sleep, and a kingfisher in the Chalke Valley that had "knocked himself out", who was with the charity for a week.

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