Mats Janzon first met Leya while walking in the forest near his home in Sweden. He heard a distressed peeping sound and found a tiny otter lying in the grass. He stayed back for a while, wondering if her mother might return. When he learned the mother had been killed on a nearby road, Mats stepped in to help the weak pup.

Mats helped Leya grow stronger and learn to swim, first in a small pool and then in the lake. As she grew more independent, he let her return to life in the wild.

Now and then, Leya still swims over to visit. She climbs aboard the kayak and settles beside Mats for a cuddle before heading back to the water.

“You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.” — Psalm 36:6 (NIV)

Her story is a sweet reminder that caring for a wild creature means helping it thrive in its own home—and being grateful when it chooses to come say hello.

Want to see Leya and Mats together? Watch the video here. For more background, read Upworthy’s report on Leya’s return to the wild.

Photo: Illustrative image of a North American river otter; it does not depict Leya. Photo by Eric Kilby, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0.