![\"Authorities](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/640\/320\/1862\/1048\/NC-otter.jpg?ve=1&tl=1?ve=1&tl=1\")
<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n\n Authorities are investigating the disappearance of three rare river otters from an animal sanctuary. Authorities and wildlife\u00a0officials are desperately searching for three rare river otters who vanished from a North Carolina<\/a> sanctuary Sunday.<\/p>\n Animal Ed. Ventures workers arrived at\u00a0the park Monday morning to find\u00a0the gates to the otter enclosure were open and the animals \u2013 named Sigmund, Nessy and Ned \u2013 were missing, WTVD reported.<\/p>\n SHARK ATTACKS DOUBLED IN 20 YEARS IN HIGHLY POPULATED AREAS, STUDY FINDS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The gates were double-checked before workers went home for the night, sanctuary director Cory Freeman told the station.<\/p>\n \u201cThe latch to their enclosure was completely intact,\u201d Freeman told WTVD. \u201cThere was no failure. This is a latch that can only be manipulated manually with a level of dexterity.\u201d<\/p>\n She added that a high-pitch noise was heard at around 2 a.m.<\/p>\n Freeman said she\u2019s not sure why someone would steal the otters.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don’t know if this is motivated by money, we don’t know if this was motivated by an extremist group that feels like all animals should be free,\u201d she told WTVD<\/a>. \u201cAre they being properly cared for? Does this person even know what they eat and what they need? They’re not a creature that you can just put in a cage….It’s devastating.\u201d<\/p>\n The Harnett County Sheriff\u2019s Office launched an investigation into the otters\u2019 disappearance.<\/p>\n
\n (iStock)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n