International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

Section 10B discusses the locations and designs needed for keeper and animal shift doors to
offer privacy from human disturbances during cub-rearing. Section 2 discusses designs that
can prevent land and floor substrates from blocking keeper and animal shift door movement and
how substrates can be kept from pushing through barriers. Section 9 describes locations and
designs for animal shift doors necessary to keep enclosures at appropriate temperatures.
Section 13 describes containment barrier types that can be used for dens and areas to perform
husbandry training. Section 18 describes containment barriers and shift doors that should be
used during the introduction of unfamiliar or temporarily separated otters.
Following are examples of containment barriers used in giant otter enclosures:
Hagenbeck Tierpark’s (Germany) metal fencing is 2.2 m high (7.22 ft) and buried 70 cm (28")
deep, and it has electric cattle wire. This fence has 5 cm x 5 cm [2" x 2"] mesh size. Chestnut
Centre’s galvanized chain link mesh fence (5 cm x 5 cm [2" x 2"] mesh) extends 1.8 m (5.9 ft)
above ground and it is buried 50 cm to 61 cm (1.64 ft to 2 ft) in the ground. It is topped with 60
cm (1.97 ft) galvanized steel overhangs. An electric hot wire with 8000 volts is also used on the
overhang. A glass-viewing window is included within the exhibit’s front fence. A raised
wooden public viewing platform overlooks the exhibit. INPA (Brazil) has a 2 m (6.56 ft) high
fence topped / covered with metal fencing. Quistococha Zoo uses 2.4 m (7.87 ft) high concrete
walls, topped with a 0.5 m (1.64 ft) wood overhang. Dortmund Zoo uses a combination of 2.2
m (7.22 ft) high barriers made of rock walls and glass, with a cattle electric wire at the wall’s
top (the cattle wire is 6,000 volts).
Section 9
When Indoor Enclosures Are Needed and When They Require Water Areas, Temperature
and Heating Recommendations & Outdoor Enclosure Shelter
Note: “Enclosure” and “Exhibit” are used interchangeably. They refer to any/all areas, both
indoors and outdoors, in which a captive otter is held or has access to, regardless of whether or
not public/visitors can view these areas or the areas are intended for temporary or permanent
use. They include such areas as dens, off-exhibit holding and quarantine areas, and areas onexhibit
(i.e. for public viewing) etc.. “Den” refers to an individual man-made room, usually
small in size [e.g. 4 m² - 9m 2 ] (43.05 ft² - 96.88 ft²) and constructed with concrete, wood, etc.,
where an otter has access to. A nestbox can be placed or animals can be briefly held (i.e. for
enclosure cleaning, etc.) in a den. Dens are off-exhibit and they do not serve as a nestbox.
“Nestbox” refers to areas that are only large enough for the otters (including cubs) to sleep.
Nestboxes are man-made (i.e. constructed with wood, concrete, artificial rockwork etc.) and
they are either placed above or beneath the ground/floor.
Wünnemann (1995) states “In temperate zones the giant otter needs both indoor and
outdoor enclosures….They are quite adaptable to colder outdoor temperatures as long as they
can choose between the warm indoor and the outdoor enclosures.”
In temperate climates, it is necessary that an outdoor enclosure (with or without heated
outdoor water) provides access to a heated indoor enclosure. Indoor enclosures that attach
to outdoor enclosures must provide ample quality land area for otters to carry-out the “full
range and extent of terrestrial activities” that can not be performed outside because
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