International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

inappropriate the enclosure condition that these animals were exposed to, the worse their mental
and behavioral health was.
On the other hand, otters offered appropriate conditions as recommended, carried out their
terrestrial behaviors in a healthy and normal manner and behavioral/mental health problems were
not observed and/or reported. (Additionally, see below and above descriptions for animals that
recovered from unhealthy behavior because of being housed in inappropriate enclosure
conditions.) Of the aforementioned healthy individuals that encountered new/unusual situations
or reared cubs and whose behaviors, mental/behavioral health, and enclosure conditions were
observed or reported during those situations, these animals did not exhibit abnormally elevated
or excessive levels of negative responses during those situations. Their ability to successfully
rear cubs and/or adjust to new/unusual situations was therefore not seriously compromised or
adversely affected. They were housed in appropriate enclosure conditions during these
situations. (The details of these behaviors and problems and reasoning for them are the same as
what has been presented above.) Because of space limitations it is only possible to give a couple
detailed examples and brief discussions to illustrate these issues. Also see Chapter 2 Section 10
for other examples.
The following otters were observed (Sykes-Gatz & Gatz, pers. obs.). In 1998 four giant otters
(in two separate enclosures) and in 2002 eleven giant otters (in two separate enclosures) that
were all housed at Brasilia Zoo were used for comparison studies. (All but one of these otters
lived their entire lives at this institution. The otters ranged in age from young to very old. Only
two of the otters observed in 1998 were also re-observed in 2002.) Brasilia Zoo provides
optimal enclosures therefore these animals were used as a base standard for the exhibition of
completely “healthy and normal” behaviors. (See Part A of this section and throughout Chapter
2 for an enclosure description.) E.g. they dug and groomed with a high degree of frequency,
duration, and intensity, they played and exercised on land frequently, and they used the entire
extent of their land area to carry out these behaviors. They also spent more of their daytime
hours (including daytime resting hours) on land than in the water. One of the otters who was
born and reared at Brasilia Zoo and then moved to another institution at 2 years old, was also
used to make comparison studies before and after she was moved to her new surroundings.
Because her new environment provided appropriate housing conditions she continued to exhibit
healthy normal behavior. I.e. she exhibited the same high degrees of land activities, land use
times, general healthy behavior, etc. as the otters observed at Brasilia. (This study was
concluded nearly a year after her move.) All of these otters were also physically healthy.
Additionally, eleven other giant otters in six other zoos were observed/monitored first hand and
their activities, behavioral/mental health, and enclosure conditions were used to make
comparisons. Note: one of the otters observed at Brasilia zoo and then transferred to a new zoo
(i.e. within this category), is not included within this number to avoid redundancy.
The history of four giant otters that were monitored and eventually offered appropriate enclosure
conditions after they had been housed in inappropriate conditions over a long-term period,
follows. Two of these otters had significantly limited exposure to digging areas and soft
substrates, one for 11 years and the other for 9 years (nearly their entire life span at that time).
Their land to water ratio was sufficient (see the exception that follows), but they were housed in
enclosures where the majority of their land area was made of tile, concrete, or natural rockwork.
(In one indoor enclosure area the ratio was highly unsuitable and therefore a very limited land
area was offered. For a limited period of time they were exposed to appropriate conditions
during the aforementioned years.) Another otter had no exposure to any digging areas or soft
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