When Wildlife Moves In Uninvited
Most of us have a story about an uninvited backyard guest. Maybe it was a raccoon treating your green bin like an all-you-can-eat buffet, a skunk setting up camp under the porch, or a squirrel deciding your attic was prime real estate. But homeowners in Richmond, British Columbia, recently got a far cuter surprise: a family of river otter pups tucked snugly beneath a backyard shed.
The discovery quickly captured hearts online after CBC reported on the fluffy, whisker-nosed stowaways, and honestly — can you blame people for losing it over baby otters?
River Otters: Canada's Charismatic Urban Wildlife
River otters (Lontra canadensis) are native across much of Canada, found from the Atlantic coast through the boreal forests and along Pacific waterways. They're semi-aquatic mammals, equally at home in the water as on land, and they're known for being curious, playful, and surprisingly bold when it comes to exploring human spaces.
Richmond sits on a delta island at the mouth of the Fraser River — a network of waterways, wetlands, and sloughs that's basically prime otter territory. It's no wonder a mother otter might have surveyed the neighbourhood and thought: that shed looks cozy.
Otters typically give birth to litters of two to four pups in the spring. The pups are born blind and helpless, relying entirely on their mother for warmth, feeding, and protection. Finding a sheltered, quiet spot — even if it happens to be under someone's garden shed — is exactly the kind of resourceful parenting move you'd expect from a species that's thrived in Canada for thousands of years.
What To Do If You Find Wildlife Under Your Home
Discovering a wild animal family under your shed or deck can feel alarming, but wildlife experts consistently advise the same thing: don't panic, and definitely don't try to handle them yourself.
In British Columbia, organizations like the BC SPCA Wildlife Rescue and local wildlife rehabilitation centres are equipped to assess whether the animals need intervention. In most cases, if the mother is present and the animals appear healthy, the best course of action is simply to leave them alone and give them space.
If the animals need to be relocated — say, the shed is a safety hazard or the mother has been separated from her pups — licensed wildlife rehabilitators have the tools and training to do it humanely.
Across Canada, urban wildlife encounters are on the rise as cities expand into natural habitats. The advice is generally consistent coast to coast: observe from a distance, don't feed wild animals, secure potential attractants like food waste, and call your local wildlife authority if you're concerned.
A Welcome Reminder
In the middle of busy city life, stories like this one are a genuine mood-lifter. A family of otter pups, soft and squirmy and utterly unbothered by the concept of private property, tucked under a shed in a suburban Richmond backyard — it's the kind of thing that makes you appreciate how much wildlife Canada still has woven into its everyday landscape.
And look, if you're going to have an unexpected house guest, a litter of river otter pups is a pretty solid draw.
Source: CBC News British Columbia
