Meet Splash: The world’s first search and rescue otter

Otter Named Splash Joins Florida’s Search and Rescue Efforts (Representative Image: Canva)

When most people think of rescue animals, dogs come first. Yet one Florida team is turning to an unlikely helper, a small otter with a sharp nose.

Training an Otter for Rescue Work
Peace River K9 Search and Rescue in Florida introduced Splash, an Asian small-clawed otter, to its mission. President Mike Hadsell wondered why dogs stopped at the water’s edge. He thought otters, already skilled swimmers, could succeed underwater. Splash, gifted from an Arizona zoo in 2024, began learning to detect human scent beneath the surface.

Hadsell trained him using pools in his backyard. Scents of human remains were placed in the water for Splash to find. The otter inhales bubbles carrying odour traces and signals discovery by pulling Hadsell’s mask. According to Hadsell, humans emit more than 500 unique compounds that Splash can detect.

Why Small-Clawed Otters Are Ideal
Asian small-clawed otters are intelligent, social and excellent scent trackers. Weighing under 10 pounds and about two feet long, they are agile in water. They live in close family groups, mate for life and use scent for communication. This natural instinct makes them ideal companions for rescue training.

Florida's lakes and rivers contain hazards, such as alligators. Handlers keep Splash safe by tying him to a rope. Spotters and sonar monitor predators during operations. Despite risks, Splash has already completed three successful rescues.

Will More Rescue Otters Follow?
The FBI and Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement are watching Splash’s work. Hadsell believes otters could become standard for search teams in coming years. He expects to see many more otters trained within a decade.

Despite Splash’s success, his species faces threats. The Asian small-clawed otter is categorised as vulnerable by the IUCN. Demand is fuelled by the illegal pet trade throughout Southeast Asia, with consumers paying thousands for them. Poaching and sale on the internet threaten their very survival, despite the fact that their capabilities are useful to human beings.