A wild otter cub has left officials baffled after he was found inside a flamingo habitat at a zoo in England.<\/p>\n
The tiny cub now affectionately named Mingo was found all alone on the shoreline, weighing under 2 pounds (800 grams).<\/p>\n
Only a few months old, the orphan surprised the staff at Colchester Zoo in Essex, when they found him \u2018snoring\u2019 peacefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cMingo was found early in the morning, curled up on the bank of the main lake out in the open, fast asleep and snoring his head off,\u201d said the zoo\u2019s Jody Bedford, who initially found Mingo.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe gave him a few hours to see if Mum would reappear.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowing otters, it\u2019s odd behavior to see a pup out in the open like he was. He seemed very strong and was very vocal when awake.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wild otters, which are usually born in groups of two to three and stay with their mums for around a year, are native to the UK and can be found along wetlands, rivers, and coastal areas.<\/p>\n
Mingo was taken to Wildlives Rescue in Colchester who transferred him into the hands of experts at the UK Wild Otter Trust in North Devon.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re still baffled as to how Mingo ended up in the flamingo habitat,\u201d said Dave Webb, founder of the otter nonprofit. \u201cIt\u2019s a total mystery.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut what\u2019s absolutely clear is that he wouldn\u2019t have survived much longer on his own.<\/p>\n
\u201cOtter cubs this young rely entirely on their mothers, and without immediate intervention, Mingo\u2019s chances were zero.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks to the quick response from Colchester Zoo and Wildlives Rescue, we\u2019ve been able to give him a second chance at life, and he\u2019ll be released back into the wild when he\u2019s strong enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
The UK Wild Otter Trust has been caring for and advocating for the protection of otters since 1998.<\/p>\n
Their team of tireless volunteers is now working to ensure Mingo receives the round-the-clock feeding, warmth, and monitoring he needs to grow strong, before returning to the wild.<\/p>\n