They rescued an otter that got into the cellars of a furniture workshop in the Varna district "Asparuhovo" ;, BNT reported.
The otter is a protected species included in the Red Book of Bulgaria. The small predator was placed for treatment in the Dobrich zoo, which is a rescue center for hundreds of animals.
A signal about an animal in distress in an underground facility of a factory has been submitted to the ecoinspection in Varna. The inspectors turn for assistance to the Center for the Protection of Nature and Animals in Dobrich, who have a prepared team and have the necessary means to capture such animals.
"We found out that it was an otter that had fallen, there was a window that was broken and it somehow got inside. She tried to hide or was intimidated, but in fact the room is positioned about 200 meters from Lake Varna, where it is a natural habitat for otters," explained the director of the Center for the Protection of Nature and Animals – Dobrich Hristian Hristov.
Otters are extremely secretive, they hunt only at night and avoid contact with people.
"There was so little action, we managed to catch it and upon catching it we found that all the claws of the animal were absolutely filed off. Most likely, she tried to go out for a few days and was quite inadequate, lost. It was obviously not stuck there from today or yesterday", Hristiyan Hristov added.
The otter is currently under quarantine at the rescue center in Dobrich and without a manicure and pedicure, it will not be released.
"Otters are almost entirely fish-eating animals. Without claws, she has no way to catch her food, and when she is ready, fed enough, she will be released back into a wild environment, more suitable than the one along the quarter. "Asparuhovo" in Varna", said the director of the Center for the Protection of Nature and Animals.
The otter is a protected species not only by our legislation, but also by a number of international conventions. Unfortunately, it often falls victim to fishermen and pond owners dissatisfied with its raids.
"The fact is that this wild animal feeds on fish anyway. The point is that people should realize when they want to raise fish that they have to secure their reservoir", said Hristiyan Hristov.
This year alone, over 120 distressed animals were rescued at the zoo. And unfortunately, a huge part of them end up here because of people's fault.