Courtesy of Mats Janzon
A wild animal is acting like she’s his ‘significant otter,’ after he saved her life, and returned her back to her lake habitat.
Their relationship began when Mats Janzon was on a walk in the woods near his home in Sweden. He heard a soft peeping sound and carefully moved closer to investigate. He soon found a baby otter in distress, starving for food and struggling to breathe.
Janzon had some experience with animal rescues, so he kept his distance for hours, hoping at some point the otter’s mother would return.
It never did, because Janzon discovered it had been killed on a roadway nearby. If he didn’t intervene soon, the baby otter—which was so small it could fit in the palm of his hand—wouldn’t survive either.
Janzon had never rescued an otter before, but he gave it his best shot. It required constant care and attention, and over time, it slowly gained strength. It also started forming a connection with its unlikely foster parent—crying when Janzon left the room and occasionally lying in his lap like a Labrador Retriever.
“The first time she let me pet her, I remember thinking this can’t be real,” Janzon shared with the TikTok account SoulPaws Tails. “It felt like a dream—this wild, free otter choosing to trust me.”
The next step was helping the otter prepare for its return to the wild. Janzon set up a kiddie pool in his backyard and kept watch as the otter seemed to flail at first, but soon found its natural aquatic skills.
Mats Janzon
Before long, the two-legged and four-legged friends headed down to the lake. Initially, the otter was reluctant and even a little timid. But biology won out, though, and the mammal started stretching its limits, slipping further and further out into the water.
During one of those lake sessions, Janzon even settled on a name—Leya. Over time, Janzon’s charge spent more and more time away. His rescue and rehabilitation efforts were successful.
But now, a magical thing happens whenever Janzon takes his yellow kayak to the lake. A furry brown body glides alongside and clambers up into the boat. An adorable scene that Janzon often shares on his Tik Tok page.
“She’s the most playful animal I have ever met,” Janzon said.
Mats Janzon / Tiktok
A YouTube video (below) features images of Leya darting through grass, gliding through the water, and snuggling with Janzon on his kayak. And then it ends with some words of wisdom.
ANOTHER STORY YOU ‘OTTER’ SEE: Zoo Officials Baffled When Lost Otter Cub is Found Snoring Among the Flamingos
“Every bond we form with animals reminds us how deeply connected we all are. Leya’s story shows us that love has no boundaries. It’s built on trust and care.
“When we give kindness, the world gives it back in ways we never expect…”
Like an old friend that climbs aboard your kayak just to snuggle.
KEEP LEYA’S STORY GLIDING ACROSS THE WEB By Sharing On Social Media…