International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

temperatures are too low. These activities include digging, grooming, playing, and exercising
on land and raising young. The meaning of the “full range and extent of terrestrial activities” is
very specific; see Section 3B for a description. In some cases water areas are needed in these
indoor enclosures as well (see below). It is crucial that these indoor enclosures have the
recommended land to water ratios (to provide enough land area if they have water areas), soft
loose natural substrate types, qualities, and depths that cover nearly the entire land/floor area
(including dens), and deep digging area sizes (see Sections 1-2 above). (Different enclosure
sizes require different land to water ratios.) In addition they must include dens and nestboxes
(see Sections 13-14 below) and they need the recommended land and water area locations and
designs and locations for the dens and nestboxes (see Section 5 under what is needed to keep
these areas dry). They should include the natural furnishings recommended in Section 4 above
and the water area design (if water areas are needed) recommended in Section 7 & below (some
designs are required for safety). They need the land and water area, nestbox, den, and keeper
and animal shift door designs and locations that can offer privacy from human disturbances
during cub-rearing (see Section 10 below). See the recommended minimum enclosure size in
Section 2 above.
It is essential that all indoor enclosures, whether attached to outdoor enclosures or not,
include the basic necessities just listed above and those throughout Chapter 2. These
provisions and designs will allow otters to carry out their terrestrial and aquatic (if necessary)
activities in appropriate enclosure conditions, allow the land area, nestboxes, and dens to stay
dry, and allow privacy from humans disturbances and presence during cub-rearing. When
indoor and/or outdoor enclosure land to water ratios offer smaller land proportions than
recommended or/and land/floor surfaces are not nearly entirely covered with soft loose natural
substrates (including appropriate depths, types, and qualities) or provided with sufficient size
deep digging areas as recommended health problems and/or abnormalities will occur. Problems
can also occur when the other land and water area designs and locations and den and nestbox
locations are not provided as recommended. (See the problems that will occur in Chapter 2
Section 3). For example, during cub-rearing in colder temperatures, otter families may
need to be held in indoor enclosures, without outdoor access, for as long as 4-5 months.
This fact alone and the problems that can arise from the aforementioned inappropriate conditions
(e.g. very damp/wet conditions that can cause cub infection/death and other health problems,
behavioral problems that negatively affect cub-rearing success etc.) must be given careful
consideration when indoor enclosures are designed and furnished. Providing space that is large
enough for the entire family to be able to sufficiently (i.e. to maintain behavioral and physical
health) and comfortably carry out all of their terrestrial, and if necessary, aquatic activities
during these long periods (or any extended cold periods, whether cub-rearing or not) must also
be considered.
Indoor enclosures, that attach to outdoor enclosures with water areas, should offer a swim
area, but there is no need to have swim areas indoors when otters can swim comfortably
(at comfortable temperatures etc.) in outdoor pools. An indoor swim area although, must
be provided in temperate climates if outdoor water is not heated and temperatures remain
too low for otters to swim outdoors (see below). This area should allow for the full range of
aquatic activities to be carried out, i.e. swimming, diving, wading, playing, exercising etc..
Even if outdoor water is heated, it is likely that otters will need access to indoor swim
areas at some time. These times include when the animals are held inside for extended periods
because temperatures become extremely cold, parents are rearing their cubs during colder
temperatures, outdoor enclosures need repair, or otters need to be separated during introductions
etc.. (See water temperatures below.) Small swim tanks, large swim tubs, or small water
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