International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

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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 142
areas may be sufficient when otters require temporary swim areas. These small water areas (e.g. tanks, tubs etc.) should be emptied and filled with soft sand or mulch (type as recommended only) or they should be removed when they are not needed and the vacant space covered over with appropriate substrates. This procedure is highly recommended in small enclosures as it will allow for more quality land area and it will also help keep the land/floors drier. It is crucial that the recommended land to water ratios are provided when water areas are offered in any enclosure area (i.e. regardless if it is a temporary or very small enclosure area or not, etc.). See the recommended water area (i.e. pools, swim tank/tubs etc.) designs and furnishings in Section 7 above. In temperate climates, heated indoor enclosures that connect with outdoor enclosures are ideal. This offers a warm and private area for otters to rear cubs and it allows otters to carry-out the full range of terrestrial and aquatic activities that can not be performed outside when temperatures are too low, while still allowing outdoor access all year. Some examples of indoor enclosures follow: Dortmund Zoo has a heated 90 m 2 (969 ft²) concrete indoor exhibit connecting to a 350 m 2 (3,767 ft²) outdoor exhibit. Both enclosures provide off-exhibit dens. The indoor exhibit’s two pools offer year around swimming areas and the indoor and outdoor pools are both made of concrete. The indoor and outdoor pools are furnished with logs, large branches, tall bamboo, boulders, floating bark and sticks, toys etc.. A sand filter is used for the indoor pool and no filtration is used in the outdoor pool. The indoor pools are located directly adjacent to each other. This exhibit has an approx. 20 m 2 (215.3 ft²) water area (1.1 m and 1.3 m [3.6 ft and 4.27 ft] pool depths) and 70 m 2 (753.5 ft²) land area. The land area is nearly entirely covered with mulch substrate and an approx. 25 m 2 (269 ft²) area of very deep mulch is also provided for deep digging. Large logs and tree stumps with extended roots, many "man-made bamboo stands" and live growing tall bamboo planted in a large tub (the bamboo has the recommended stalk size so otters can play with/manipulate it), a deep leaf pile, tubs of sand, branches, boulders, toys, and 4 nestbox / den areas are also indoors. A semi-transparent roof, with six adjustable openings, allows sunlight and fresh air transfer. The exhibit can be divided into two parts with a pool on each side. The entire indoor exhibit is fronted with glass viewing window containment barriers and the pools have underwater viewing. Otters have access to both indoor and outdoor areas all year, although outdoor access is limited when temperatures become extremely cold (see below). Chestnut Centre’s 64 m 2 (689 ft²) heated indoor enclosure and additional long den/s with multiple nestboxes, connects to a 767 m 2 (8,256 ft²) natural outdoor exhibit. Otters are given access to both indoor and outdoor enclosures all year. Its heated inside living area is constructed of 100 mm (4") concrete block with a cast concrete floor and insulated corrugated steel roof. It has windows, small visitor viewing windows, a skylight, and a small swim tank. A deep layer of soft loose substrate covers the entire indoor enclosure floor and large diameter logs are provided. Wünnemann (1995) recommends [in temperate climates] a minimum of 18 o C (64.4 °F) air temperature for indoor enclosures [maintained at 18 °C - 20 o C (64.4 °F – 68 °F) (Hagenbeck & Wünnemann 1992)] with nest box temperatures staying above 20 o C (68 °F). Nestbox temperatures were increased to 22 °C - 23 o C (71.6 °F – 73.4 °F) during cubrearing at Hagenbeck Tierpark [i.e. the den area, where the nestboxes were located, was heated to this temperature] (Flügger 1997). Captive giant otters have been observed to have a low heat tolerance (Carter & Rosas 1997; Sykes-Gatz & Gatz pers. obs.). Cubs can be very susceptible to overheating or becoming too cold. Very young cubs especially, do not thermoregulate (maintain/regulate their body temperatures) well (Merck 1986; Read and Meier 143
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International Giant Otter Studbook
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Dear reader, With this, the second
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Section 2 Introduction to Substrate
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Parental Behavior Overview.........
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Introduction This manual is a secon
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Contributing Institutions/Individua
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Dortmund Zoo: Current Director: Dr.
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Giant Otter Characteristics (The fo
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Chapter 1 Husbandry and Management
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informal international network has
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are only released into the wild, th
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malfunctions, due to severe inbreed
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maturity (i.e. at 2 years old), the
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emaining 3 institutions bred otters
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elow 240 m² (2,583.4 ft²) in size
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difficulties/abnormalities to a mod
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are to the water, but it is also de
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deep digging areas as recommended,
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greater problems. I.e. the ability
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additions that can be made to enclo
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(esp. around approx. 10 to 11 years
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Hagenbecks Tierpark Giant Otter Vac
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Dietary Related Problems: Diarrhea
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times over 10 years) then disappear
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Thyroid Malfunctions: see Chapter 1
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unpublished report 1997). His hind
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vitamin B 1 tablet and one 400 IU v
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otters were exposed to in their enc
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animal, e.g. for serious/life threa
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conditions/problems can be identifi
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that the otters are very familiar a
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Section 5 Handrearing Captive-Born
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Chapter 5 for how to measure, Chapt
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proper authorities (i.e. park offic
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oth cubs were adopted by a wild ott
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Chapter 2: Husbandry and Management
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The following conditions (i.e. Numb
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The provision of the conditions lis
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proportionately increased and the w
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does not offer the same advantages
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*Note: Duplaix’s guidelines for o
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dry easily, drain well, and be resi
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It is necessary that every indoor a
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Deep Digging Area Necessary For Eac
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play, exercise etc. on. Note: when
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Cleaning Procedures for Substrates
Page 93 and 94: [4”] in width, could be placed 10
Page 95 and 96: The aforementioned problems are cau
Page 97 and 98: difficulties/abnormalities involvin
Page 99 and 100: they could cause similar walking di
Page 101 and 102: It is not uncommon that pink foot/t
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Page 105 and 106: provided as recommended, so that ot
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Page 113 and 114: These husbandry provisions produce
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Page 131 and 132: Section 5 Locations and Designs for
Page 133 and 134: all substrates) with/without vegeta
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Page 137 and 138: Enclosures between 240 m² to 600 m
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Page 141 and 142: to help prevent water filtration/dr
Page 143: Section 10B discusses the locations
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Page 161 and 162: Chapter 1 for studies that should b
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Page 169 and 170: Inbreeding, physical, behavioral, a
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Page 173 and 174: Section 12 Natural Underground Dens
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Page 177 and 178: Section 13 Den Construction “Den
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Page 183 and 184: Section 15 Toys & Methods for Addit
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Page 189 and 190: Section 18 Introducing Unfamiliar &
Page 191 and 192: have been housed together and then
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Section 19 Diet and Feeding Only go
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Cuiaba Zoo in Brazil (Marcato de Ol
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are consumed in varying amounts acc
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Captive giant otters have been obse
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part of the target. The target we u
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to secure the guillotine door with
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it stays close to the target. This
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these births may go undetected. Ult
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those working with her, from being
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ody temperatures to be taken, when
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abnormally frequent or excessive, i
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with a male (other than growing up
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of course, because information rega
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seen entering the shelter alone, bu
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At Hagenbeck Tierpark, Wünnemann (
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52.5 cm [20.6"]. It is assumed that
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cub weight growth curve in Graph 2
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contain glucose rather than sucrose
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and frequency after each toileting/
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Section 4 Toileting: To produce eli
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when no other better formula is ava
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prepared artificial milk replacers
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avoid dietary problems and help cub
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formula is accomplished. When cubs
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suggested above. The same feeding f
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successfully can often be difficult
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should then be allowed to lick the
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The general guideline that food/for
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very gently dipped in the bowl into
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enough), and explore while under su
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dig into, well-draining etc.) are n
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ecome healthy and their housing can
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Section 16 Companion Cubs and Handr
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Cubs must exercise and explore to p
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Table 3 : Summary of the internatio
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Table 5 : International giant otter
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Days/ Months Sex Weight/Length (ent
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Table 7: Adult Giant Otter Weights
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Graph 2 : Giant Otter Cub Weight Gr
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Duplaix, N. 1980. Observations on t
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asiliensis, Gmelin, 1788) No Zooló
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Otter Colloquium Pietermaritzburg 1
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