Splash the Search-and-Rescue Otter: How He Helps Find Human Remains Underwater

Introduction

Search-and-rescue teams commonly rely on dogs, divers, boats and specialized technology when looking for missing people or evidence. But in Florida, one unusual team member has added another capability to the search: an otter named Splash.

Splash is an Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) trained to assist with underwater search-and-recovery operations. His handler, Michael Hadsell of Peace River K9 Search and Rescue, developed the program after encountering situations where trained dogs could identify an area near water but divers had difficulty locating what was beneath the surface.

Reports from the American Animal Hospital Association and CBS News Miami describe Splash as a highly unusual search-and-recovery animal and as the first otter in the United States believed to have been successfully trained for this type of work.

Who Is Splash?

Splash was obtained by Michael Hadsell, a longtime search-and-recovery professional who had spent decades working with trained animals, including dogs and horses.

Hadsell became interested in using otters after repeatedly encountering a difficult problem during underwater searches. Search dogs could help indicate an area of interest around bodies of water, but divers could still struggle to locate remains or other targets when visibility was extremely poor.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, Hadsell began exploring whether an otter could be trained to work directly underwater. Splash eventually became the animal selected for the project.

The idea was not to replace search dogs. Instead, Splash could provide a capability that dogs cannot easily provide: entering the water, diving and maneuvering around submerged objects while remaining connected to his handler.

How Does Splash Search Underwater?

One of the most unusual aspects of Splash's work is the way he investigates odors underwater.

According to Hadsell's account, Splash can release bubbles from his nose while investigating a submerged area. The bubbles can interact with odors in the water, after which Splash can investigate the source more precisely.

Hadsell has also described Splash using his highly sensitive whiskers while searching. The exact biological mechanisms involved in underwater scent detection are more complicated than simply saying that an otter can "smell underwater," and some of the specific explanations reported about Splash come from his handler's observations rather than from independent laboratory research.

What is clear is that Splash has been trained to recognize the target odor associated with human remains and to communicate an alert to his handler.

When Splash locates a target, he can return toward his handler or position himself over the area. This gives the dive team a more precise location to investigate.

Splash Has Worked on Real Search Cases

Splash's training has gone beyond controlled demonstrations.

One of his earliest reported cases occurred when he was only about eight months old. During a cold-case search at a lake, trained dogs had indicated an area but divers had not been able to find the target.

Hadsell sent Splash into the water. The young otter repeatedly indicated one location at the bottom. The team eventually recovered a large clay brick from the area, and human DNA was later recovered from the brick.

The case became an important early test of whether Splash's training could work outside a controlled environment.

Since then, Splash has participated in numerous search-and-recovery missions. Reporting in 2026 described him as having taken part in more than 30 missions, with eight recoveries.

Those numbers can change as additional missions are completed, so they should be understood as a reported total from the time of that coverage rather than a permanent lifetime figure.

Why Is an Otter Useful in Underwater Searches?

Search dogs are extremely valuable to recovery teams, but their role becomes more complicated when the target is deep underwater.

A trained dog may be able to identify an area where a scent is present from a boat or shoreline. A diver then has to enter the water and determine exactly where the target is located.

Splash can perform part of that underwater investigation himself.

As an aquatic mammal, he can swim and dive naturally. His small body also allows him to move around underwater objects and investigate locations that may be difficult for a diver to search quickly, especially when visibility is extremely poor.

This does not make Splash a replacement for divers or dogs. Instead, his role is best understood as another specialized tool that can complement the rest of a search team.

What Are Splash's Limitations?

Splash cannot simply be deployed in every body of water.

His handlers have to consider water conditions, currents, temperature, depth and potential hazards before deciding whether a search is appropriate.

The American Animal Hospital Association reported that Splash is not allowed to dive beyond approximately 30 feet. Strong currents and dangerous wildlife can also prevent him from being deployed.

His work therefore depends on carefully controlled conditions and an experienced team that can decide when an underwater otter search is safe and useful.

Training an Otter for Forensic Search Work

Training Splash required more than simply teaching him to locate a scent.

Hadsell also had to teach him to work around boats, tolerate equipment and harnesses, respond to commands and remain connected with his handler underwater.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, the harness itself proved particularly difficult during early training. Splash repeatedly damaged or destroyed harnesses before a design was developed that allowed him to swim comfortably while keeping his handler connected to him.

Once underwater, the harness allows Hadsell to remain with Splash even when visibility is extremely limited.

Training also uses positive reinforcement. When Splash successfully identifies a target, he receives a food reward, with salmon among the treats used during training.

Why Asian Small-Clawed Otters Are Interesting Working Animals

Splash belongs to a species known as the Asian small-clawed otter, the smallest of the world's otter species.

These otters are highly aquatic and have physical and behavioral traits suited to life around water. Their partially webbed feet, streamlined bodies and sensitive whiskers help them move and investigate their surroundings in aquatic environments.

Their social and interactive behavior has also been useful during Splash's training, according to his handler.

However, Splash's abilities should not be generalized to every otter. His search-and-recovery work is the result of an individual animal's behavior, specialized training and a carefully developed working relationship with his handler.

Is the Story of Splash Really True?

Yes, the core story is well documented.

Splash is a real Asian small-clawed otter trained to assist with underwater search-and-recovery work in Florida. His work has been reported by the American Animal Hospital Association, CBS News Miami, WESH and other news organizations.

What deserves caution is the way some versions of the story describe his abilities.

Claims that Splash is the "world's first" search-and-rescue otter are stronger than the evidence available in the reporting reviewed for this article. Multiple reports instead describe him as the first or first known otter in the United States trained successfully for this type of recovery work.

Likewise, descriptions of exactly how otters detect odors underwater should not be presented as fully established scientific explanations when they are based primarily on observations and explanations from Splash's handler.

The central fact remains remarkable enough without exaggeration: a trained otter has been incorporated into real underwater search-and-recovery operations.

Conclusion

Splash represents one of the most unusual examples of an animal working alongside humans in search and recovery.

His value comes from something simple but difficult to replicate: he can enter an underwater environment and investigate submerged areas directly, potentially giving divers and investigators a more precise location to examine.

His story also demonstrates an important principle in animal training. Rather than forcing an animal to perform something completely unnatural, Hadsell's program builds on abilities Splash already possesses—swimming, diving, investigating odors and interacting closely with a social group.

For now, Splash remains a highly specialized member of a Florida recovery team. His work is unusual, but it is also a real example of how animal behavior and carefully designed training can be combined to address problems that are difficult for humans to solve alone.

More From The Pader

This story is part of The Pader's Amazing Animal Stories, where we explore remarkable animals and the stories behind them. Read the full collection of Amazing Animal Stories to discover more extraordinary rescues, unusual animal behavior, human-animal connections and unforgettable wildlife stories.

You can also read more stories from the Rescue & Survival collection, including other animals whose lives have involved extraordinary rescues and second chances.

Explore Rescue & Survival animal stories

For more unusual stories about the relationships and working partnerships between people and animals, visit Animals & Humans: Remarkable Bonds and Encounters.

Sources and Further Reading