Logger Saves Baby Otter with CPR in British Columbia

Gordon Mellish has performed CPR on ten humans during his years as a fisherman, but he'd never tried it on an otter until last month in Alert Bay, British Columbia.

A neighbor at the marina told Mellish that three baby otters were trapped in a fishing net. He rushed over and carefully cut them free as a small crowd gathered to watch. The first two seemed fine, but the third wasn't moving.

"I gave the heart a little pump and nothing was going on," Mellish told CTV News. He wrapped his mouth around the baby otter's nose and mouth and gave it a breath. The tiny animal stirred back to life.

Robin Quirk emerged from the crowd, her motherly instincts kicking in. She built a makeshift shelter to protect the otter from the sun and predatory birds. She placed down a soft bed and stayed with the fragile creature while they figured out next steps.

The nearest wildlife rescue center was hours away, across a ferry ride. Quirk decided to care for the otter in her car overnight before making the long journey the next morning. "You know how if you can't get your baby to sleep, you take it for a drive?" she said. "Well, the otter slept the whole way."

After a week of rehabilitation at the rescue center, the otter was ready to go home. The center invited both Mellish and Quirk back to Alert Bay to watch the release. When the baby leaped into the water, it looked back at Mellish as he waved. It seemed to nod before swimming away.

Sunny's Take

The story gets even better. The otter has rejoined its siblings and mother in the wild. Quirk says the little one still recognizes her, provided she whistles the lullaby she made up during that long car ride to the shelter.

"A life's a life no matter what it is," Mellish said. "Try to do your best to save it."

One retired logger, one concerned neighbor, and one tiny otter just proved that when a community cares, every life matters.