Orphaned otters need to be reared with minimum human contact

The otter, named Honey, was discovered curled up asleep on a sofa in a house in Perthshire.

Wildlife experts soon found she had been reared as a pet and previous attempts to set her free failed.

Now Honey is to receive first-class treatment on the train from Edinburgh to York, where she will be driven to her new home at a secret location.

Natural life

Otter expert at Scarborough Sea Life Centre Paul Bullimore has teamed up with a local farmer who has a pond which will suit Honey's needs.

"There have been a couple of attempts to set her free, but on both occasions she just sought out the nearest humans and had to be taken in again," said Paul.

"Orphaned otters have to be reared with the minimum possible human contact if they are ever going to make a successful return to the wild.

"This one has obviously been pampered, and sadly her chances of adapting to the freedom of the open countryside are probably non-existent."

He and the farmer have also built Honey a wooden shelter so she can lead as natural a life as possible.

Mr Bullimore hopes that Honey will recover her animal instincts enough to be released into the wild.