TACOMA, WA – A young river otter is on the road to recovery after being rescued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in southwest Washington this week.

According to the agency, a USFWS employee discovered the hypothermic and dehydrated otter alone on Wednesday after its family was struck and killed by a vehicle. Staff quickly transported the juvenile to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator — the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma.

At the zoo, veterinary teams placed the female otter under anesthesia for a full-body X-ray and blood work. USFWS veterinary medical officer Christine Parker-Graham reported that the exams showed no signs of major trauma.

The otter has since been moved to the Center Valley Animal Rescue in Quilcene, where she is eating and socializing with other otters. Parker-Graham said the animal’s prospects for recovery and eventual release are promising.

“She’s doing really well,” Parker-Graham said. “I think her chances are pretty good for making it through rehab and release.”