Residents in disbelief after spotting rare animal that nearly went extinct: 'I saw something from quite far away'

Recent sightings of a European otter are bringing smiles and renewed hope for the species' future.

On the morning of Jan. 12, an onlooker spotted the creature relaxing on a log on the River Severn in Diglis, England, and one was also spotted Jan. 4.

Per the Worcester News, in the 1950s, the European otter "was on the brink of extinction, but conservation efforts around the U.K. have brought their numbers up to around 11,000 in the wild."

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According to The Wildlife Trusts, the European otter remains a protected species. The animals are excellent swimmers and need clean rivers with ample food supplies and vegetation to thrive.

"It's not that long ago that otters were almost extinct in the U.K.," a Worcestershire Wildlife Trust spokesperson told the News. "… Following the banning of the worst-offending pesticides and legal protection of otters from hunting, their populations bounced back."

Preserving the otters' habitat by keeping water free from pollution benefits the entire ecosystem. The animals' renewed presence also sends a hopeful message that protecting natural resources supports healthy and diverse ecosystems.

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The return of the European otter is just one species success story as conservationists work to defend endangered and protected species. The world's smallest wild pig species, pygmy pigs, have reached a population of around 200 in the Assam forests of India. Conservationists are also hopeful that bighorn sheep in the Sierra Nevada mountain range will maintain their comeback. These efforts are important to keeping regional ecosystems in check.

As conservation efforts continue, other lucky onlookers may have more happy moments of wildlife spotting like that of Julia Everest, who took the photo of the otter on the River Severn.

"I saw something from quite far away on the other side of the river, and I went to investigate," Everest told the News. "It was really lovely to see, and it's nice to know they are around."