On July 28, officers in Alert Bay, British Columbia, received a call about an injured otter. Locals had found three young otters tangled in a fishing net on the 'Namgis Dock.
Residents freed two otter pups, which quickly returned to their mother. However, the third otter was in bad shape, with the net wrapped tightly around its neck.
A Breath of Life for an Otter
Gordon Mellish, a retired fisher, was among the locals helping. He cut the net from the otter's neck but saw the animal was not moving. Mellish then performed CPR, breathing into the otter's tiny snout.
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Start Your News DetoxHis efforts worked. The otter began to breathe again. Mellish had learned about the otters from his niece, who thought she heard children crying. He even rubbed fish oil on his hands so his scent would be familiar to the animals.
Police arrived and contacted the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society. They arranged for the injured otter to be taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center.
Mellish petted the otter before it left. He told it to "Get rest, get better, and make sure you make it back home."
Back to the Wild
After a week of care, the otter was ready to go home. It was released back into the wild, where its family was waiting. Mellish was there to see it off.
He said the otter looked back at him and nodded before swimming away. Local officials praised Mellish and the other residents for saving the otter. They called it an "outstanding example" of how communities can protect wildlife.
Officials also reminded everyone to clean up fishing gear properly. This helps prevent harm to animals and keeps the island's wildlife safe.
