International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

Enclosures between 240 m² to 600 m² (2,583.4 ft² to ) require other land to water ratios, as
do enclosures above 600 m². See Chapter 2 Section 1B for land to water ratios. The land to
water ratios must provide at least the minimum size (proportion) land area required
within every indoor and outdoor enclosure and separable enclosure area, whether the enclosure
is for temporary or permanent use. (E.g. this applies to quarantine and temporary holding areas,
small heated indoor spaces etc..) This is among the must crucial requirements necessary for the
husbandry of giant otters. When the land to water ratio provides smaller land proportions than
recommended physical, mental, and behavioral health problems can develop (see Section 3
above). Some indoor enclosures that are attached to outdoor enclosures may not need
water areas or full-size water areas. See Chapter 2 Section 9 for when indoor enclosure
water areas (e.g. pools/swim tanks) are necessary and for water temperature
recommendations. Unless noted otherwise, the recommendations in this section apply to
every location where a giant otter has access to a water area. Note: within this manual the
term “separable enclosure area” will be implied when the terms “enclosure”, “indoor enclosure”, and
“outdoor enclosure” are used. This term although will be used at times when greater clarification is
needed.
A naturally enriched and complexly designed water area environment can be created with the
following designs and furniture. A habitat such as this is needed to offer variety and more
challenging stimulating places to swim both in deep and shallow water, wade, play, exercise,
dive, investigate, manipulate objects, rest, eat, chase live fish, and play chase with other otters.
It as well provides a safe and more easily useable environment for cubs, old otters, parents
carrying cubs and all other otters.
It is necessary to design outdoor and indoor enclosure pools with varying water level
depths that offer adequate space for the aforementioned activities listed in the paragraph
above. See the exceptions in Section 9 below. (E.g. some indoor enclosures that are attached to
outdoor enclosures only require swim tanks rather than a full size pool.) Shallow water along
the pool perimeter is used very frequently for wading/swimming, playing, eating, and exiting
the pool. These areas are needed and they are esp. helpful when young cubs are learning
swimming and old animals, cubs, and parents carrying cubs are exiting pools. Deep areas are
used very frequently for swimming, diving, play, exploration etc. and they should be provided
as well.
The provision of shallow areas is “mandatory” (Wünnemann 1995). For example, areas approx.
12 cm (5") deep and additional shallow areas that are 20 cm (8") deep, which gently slope to
deeper water, should be provided. Areas that are approx. 35 cm - 40 cm (14" - 16") and 65 cm
[26"] deep are also well used. Plentiful shallow areas should be provided. I.e. the entirety of
at least one of the largest/longest sides of the pool or more sides of the pool should have shallow
areas. Pools should gently slope to deeper water so a variety of depths are provided. This
will also help provide safety when the pools are emptied. The deep area in pools should be a
minimum of 100 cm (3.28 ft) in depth. For example, when the deepest part of the pool is only
approx. 75 cm (30") deep, otters have been observed to swim awkwardly because the water was
not deep enough to accommodate the full-extent of their most basic natural swimming
movements. I.e. it did not allow simple normal swim patterns and this is not including dives or
other deep water activities (Sykes-Gatz & Gatz, pers. obs.). The provision of pools with
depths of at least 150 cm (4.92 ft) and deeper, e.g. up to 200 cm [6.56 ft], is however highly
recommended so otters can carry out a wider range of swimming and diving behaviors.
Plentiful deep areas should be offered.
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