Baby Otter Rescued From Parking Lot In Chelmsford

CHELMSFORD, MA — Early last month Newhouse Wildlife Rescue came to the aid of a baby otter discovered alone in a parking lot set to get paved in Chelmsford. Now, the little critter is getting some attention for the progress it is making.

"Only about a week old when he came into our care, Emmet was found alone in the middle of a parking lot about to be repaved. Today, four weeks later, he has opened his eyes for the very first time," the wildlife rescue based in town posted to its Facebook page.

More than 6,000 people have indicated their approval, "liking" the post.

With a face like this, it's not hard to imagine why:

Once a rare sight in Massachusetts, the otter population has been increasing because of sustainable harvest practices, better wetland conservation and pollution control, according to MassWildlife. Otters are known to be playful creatures. They use a variety of sounds to signal danger and express fear or anger, MassWildlife said.

Newhouse Wildlife Rescue is a wildlife rehab facility in Chelmsford run by volunteers dedicated to educating the public on how to coexist with the wild animals in the area. They take in and help rehabilitate injured, orphaned or otherwise compromised wildlife for free, according to the rescue's website. The rescue got its wildlife rehabilitation permit in Massachusetts in 2017.

Previously: Community Rallies To Support Newhouse Wildlife Rescue ...