A loose otter that had been roaming through a small Aberdeenshire town was successfully captured on Saturday afternoon following a dramatic pursuit involving police and wildlife rescuers.
Video footage shared across social media captured the moment officers in a police van pursued the animal as it trotted along the pavement. The van accelerated past the otter before swerving to a stop and cutting off its escape route.
When the otter bolted into a walled garden, a police officer exited the vehicle and maintained visual contact with the animal while waiting for wildlife rescue personnel to arrive on scene. The rescuers came equipped with a net, though the otter proved resistant to capture.
The animal tore through the net during the initial attempt, but the rescue team persisted and eventually secured it in a cage. The otter was then transported to a veterinary surgery for examination and treatment of minor injuries sustained during the incident.
Harper Eagles, 25, works as a rescuer at the New Arc wildlife centre based at Ellon and was one of two specialists involved in the capture. Speaking to a national broadcaster's report, Eagles described the otter as particularly aggressive compared to other wayward otters he had encountered previously, noting it was "quite feisty" throughout the ordeal.
Similar wildlife incidents have occurred across Scotland in recent years. In April 2026, an otter caused disruption after entering a Scottish garden centre, where it was captured with veterinary support and released safely in the vicinity.
The captured otter is currently receiving veterinary care for injuries affecting its face and feet. Following recovery, the animal will be transported to the New Arc wildlife centre for rehabilitation before being released back into its natural habitat in the wild.
