Spring 2017 | Issue 12 Spring 2016 | Issue 10 | Page 13

• Scales of all shapes and sizes – we
now have a fantastic new set of seal
and large animal scales as well as
several new sets of scales for weighing
hedgehogs and smaller animals
• A new trailer to allow us to get to offsite
release sites for foxes, badgers, otters
and more besides
• A bat detector to support staff in
assessing bat fitness and locating
suitable release sites
All of these items help us to rehabilitate
both wild and domestic animals and get
them fit and healthy before they leave
our care.

Otterly adorable!
The Wildlife Centre has looked after
two young otter cubs this winter: one
from the river Piddle in Dorset and
one from near Downton in Wiltshire.
Arriving within days of each other and
being roughly the same age, they have
been cared for and raised together.
This has helped them play and stay
wild even whilst they were in the more
intensive stages of bottle feeding.
After a couple of weeks of milk feeds
they moved swiftly on to trout and
have not looked back. Both have
made excellent progress at the Centre
and have now moved to an outside
pen with plenty of space to explore
and water to play in. The next stage
for the playful duo will be to move
to the New Forest Otter and Owl
Sanctuary. They will stay there until
they are over a year old and will then
return to West Hatch before their
eventual release back into the wild.