Things are now going swimmingly for an otter pup, called Toby by the otter-watching community here, despite a rough start in life.

On May 9, the six-week-old smooth-coated otter almost drowned after it fell off a ledge into a canal near Fort Road.

It was rescued by retiree and property investor Patrick Ng, 60, who fished it out of the water and left it near the entrance to its holt "in case the adults came back". But the adult otters did not.

The otter-watching community later realised Toby's family had moved to another location nearby. At 6pm that day, the pup was sent to Wildlife Reserves Singapore for treatment.

Yesterday, Toby finally returned to the pack. As the otter watchers had been monitoring the pack's movements, rescuers knew where to place Toby near Fort Road so that the adult otters would notice it.

The pack was seen scurrying off into nearby vegetation, with an adult otter carrying Toby in its mouth.

FOR MORE: Otter pup rescued, reunited with family after it almost drowned. http://str.sg/4ojt