For the past two weeks three baby otters who were discovered at a residential construction site have been receiving care at the Florida Wildlife Hospital and Sanctuary in Palm Shores. While the five-week-old pups appeared to be doing well, the facilitys executive director, Tracy Frampton, said they were still at high-risk.

This will be a long haul endeavour for them to get released back into the wild, and very costly, she said, putting the estimated price tag at up to $2,400 (£1,694, €2,216) per otter.

The three North American river otter pups were found at a home in Titusville as the driveway was being dug up by construction workers, local media reported. However, the mother ran off when they spotted her den.

Now staff and volunteers at the wildlife hospital are doing their best to help raise the young pups, who require at least six half-hour feedings each per day. The wildlife hospital is currently accepting donations to help ease the cost of caring for the otters. The tiny patients arent expected to be able to survive on their own until July or August.