International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

Artificial/man-made pools that are not heated can be emptied when air temperatures make the
water too cold for the otters to use. After pools are emptied for cleaning they can take quite a
bit of time to refill. It is important that otters can not jump or fall into the deep areas of
empty pools. If animals can do this they must be kept away from these dangerous areas (i.e.
this usually means locking them out of their main enclosure area). Pools should be designed
with these cautions in mind. I.e. deep areas should gently slope to shallow areas or/and
they can be placed so that giant otters can not enter the pool from the land at the deep
points. This will also significantly reduce the amount of time that otters will have to be locked
out of their enclosures after the pool is cleaned.
Pools must have plentiful areas of gently sloping (smooth non-abrasive) sides/edges so that
young cubs learning swimming can easily exit the water (Duplaix-Hall 1972). (These
sides/edges should also be made of material and constructed in such a way that prevents or
reduces the chance that they become too slippery for the otters.) For example, a cub from any
river otter species can drown when pools only have steep borders. Duplaix (citing Harris 1968)
reports one such occasion (i.e. a L. canadensis cub drowned). This is also necessary to allow
adult otters, esp. old animals, a more natural and easier exit and parents an easier and
safer exit when they are carrying their cubs. Ideally, all pool edges that are bordered by
land area should be gently sloping, although if this can not be done, it is advisable to
construct as much of the pool in this way as possible. If shallow areas do not extend
from/connect to deep pool areas to allow for easy exits, a gently sloping pool border could be
created during pool construction in various ways. (For example, an approximately one meter
wide surface area / shallow exit area can be constructed so that it extends, with a gentle slope
upwards, from the top of the vertical pool wall to the land. This sloping 1m pool border can be
made so that the water is 30 cm (12") deep at its deepest point [i.e. where it connects to the
vertical pool wall]. It can gently and gradually slope upward until only a few centimeters of
water depth is present at the edge where it connects to the land area. This pool border can be
extended around all the pool areas without shallow exits.) When swim tanks/tubs are offered
they also must provide easy and safe exit areas either in the same manner as above or as
follows if no other option is available. At the least, large rocks/boulders, ramps, logs, or
boards around the inside edge must be provided (Duplaix 1972), but they should be constructed
with or made of materials that otters can not easily slip on. (See ramp construction in Section
12 and below.)
Pool sides / edges should not be raised much above the water level as this will make exiting
the pool difficult for adults alone as well as adults carrying cubs and impossible for cubs.
In the wild, “When possible Pteronura skirted vertical banks, preferring shallow inclines for
entry and exits into the water.” (Duplaix 1980).
Pool drains, filters, skimmers, water filtration/cleaning systems, waterfalls, underwater
viewing areas, swim tanks/tubs, and all water areas must be able to accommodate the soft
loose natural substrates that may be tracked, pushed, dug etc. into the water from land
and floor areas. The simple designs and furnishings described in Section 2C can help
prevent substrates from entering water areas and blocking drains or causing other
problems. Although, even with these methods, some substrates will enter the water. Because
it is necessary that every indoor and outdoor enclosure land and floor surface is nearly entirely
covered with soft loose natural substrates as recommended, enclosure water areas etc. should
be designed or modified with these considerations in mind. (These methods will also help
prevent leaves, sticks, bark, etc. that have fallen from trees, fish remains, natural furnishings
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