International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management
International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management
International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management
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These husb<strong>and</strong>ry provisions produce the aforementioned benefits by allowing <strong>and</strong> encouraging<br />
essential innate goal-oriented terrestrial behaviors to be carried out to the fullest range <strong>and</strong> extent<br />
that is possible in captivity. The most crucial of these behaviors are digging (both deep <strong>and</strong><br />
shallow) <strong>and</strong> grooming as they are among the giant otters’ most favored <strong>and</strong> most<br />
frequently performed terrestrial activities in captivity (see below for a description of how<br />
otters groom <strong>and</strong> dig). These therefore constitute a significant proportion of their goal<br />
oriented activities. Digging <strong>and</strong> grooming carried out to their full extent (as described<br />
below) are among the most important activities that giant otters need to perform to<br />
maintain their mental/behavioral health <strong>and</strong> normality as well as to promote successful<br />
cub-rearing <strong>and</strong> adjustment to new/unusual situations. Because playing <strong>and</strong> exercising on<br />
l<strong>and</strong> also constitute a significant proportion of their goal oriented activities, Pteronura must<br />
be able to carry these out to the fullest extent for the same reasons aforementioned. Digging,<br />
grooming, playing, <strong>and</strong> exercising on l<strong>and</strong> constitute a significant proportion of a behaviorally<br />
healthy giant otter's daily goal oriented activities.<br />
The type, frequency, duration, intensity, <strong>and</strong> location of each daily behavior/activity that a<br />
giant otter carries out can, to a large degree, help determine if the needs of that captive<br />
animal are adequately satisfied/met. (Location refers to where the otter performs each<br />
activity/behavior in the enclosure.) It is very important to note that these factors are greatly<br />
effected by enclosure quality <strong>and</strong> design.<br />
<strong>Giant</strong> otters with healthy behavior <strong>and</strong> that are kept in the recommended enclosure<br />
conditions, dig deep into <strong>and</strong> groom, dry, rub, roll, dig <strong>and</strong> scratch on/into soft loose<br />
natural substrates throughout the entire expanse of their l<strong>and</strong> area. As instinctively avid<br />
diggers <strong>and</strong> groomers, they carry these behaviors out with a high degree of frequency <strong>and</strong><br />
intensity, <strong>and</strong> long (relatively speaking) duration throughout the day. They do not just limit<br />
the location of these activities to a specific enclosure area, e.g. to just limited digging <strong>and</strong><br />
grooming areas that may be provided, they instead use the entire enclosure l<strong>and</strong> area to<br />
perform these behaviors. Obviously the enclosure must have the appropriate l<strong>and</strong> area designs<br />
<strong>and</strong> locations <strong>and</strong> the entire l<strong>and</strong> area must be covered with the recommended substrate types,<br />
depths <strong>and</strong> qualities that allow these activities to take place or else otters can not use the entire<br />
l<strong>and</strong> area for such behaviors. See below. <strong>Giant</strong> otters groom <strong>and</strong>/or dry themselves by<br />
rubbing, rolling, scratching, <strong>and</strong> digging on the surface of/into soft loose natural substrates.<br />
During these activities substrate particles are moved/dug freely about <strong>and</strong> otters’ often<br />
cover their body/fur with the freed particles. They groom themselves when they are dry as<br />
well as wet <strong>and</strong> also rub on substrates to help mark their territory. Pteronura also dig <strong>and</strong><br />
scratch on/into the surface of soft loose substrates to help mark their territory <strong>and</strong> simply dig. [In<br />
the wild they use these behaviors to help form/clear “campsites” to help mark their territory.]<br />
Captive giant otters also dig deeply into substrates whether they can create underground<br />
dens or not (they can easily dig 100 cm (3.28 ft) deep). They dig both deep <strong>and</strong> shallow into<br />
substrates. Most of their activities on l<strong>and</strong> are spent engaged in grooming, digging (both deeply<br />
<strong>and</strong> on the surface), marking, playing, exercising, <strong>and</strong> eating. Behaviorally healthy otters also<br />
use the entire l<strong>and</strong> area, when they are given the recommended conditions (sufficient l<strong>and</strong><br />
size <strong>and</strong> soft substrates), to frequently play <strong>and</strong> exercise on because this environment<br />
allows them to perform these activities in a comfortable <strong>and</strong> unrestricted manner. I.e.<br />
sufficient l<strong>and</strong> to water ratios allow them enough l<strong>and</strong> area <strong>and</strong> soft substrates provide a<br />
comfortable surface. In an appropriate enclosure, this diurnal species will also spend more<br />
of its daytime hours (including daytime resting hours) on l<strong>and</strong> than in the water.<br />
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