A pair of baby river otters who were orphaned in the wild and rescued by humans were set free again Friday.

The baby river otters, once strangers and now companions, were released back into the wild at Lake Sonoma.

The San Rafael nonprofit WildCare took in the first otter in April after she was found struggling to swim in Corte Madera Creek.

After months without seeing another otter, the baby was transferred to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue and united with another orphaned baby otter found in Petaluma.

And then Friday they were deemed old and strong enough to be independent.

"It's the best thing about wildlife rehab is you work with these animals, you see them when they are hurt, orphaned, or scared and then you take them out and let them go," said Alison Hermance, of WildCare. "It's stunning, it's amazing."

And now the two river otters, one male and one female, are now swimming toward a new life together.

"They are just going to stay here and be happy," said Doris Duncan of Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue. "I wish I could stay with them, but we have to go back to work."

And as another rescue awaits, the success of this one has already swam away.