International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

for indoor enclosures that attach to outdoor enclosures and Section 9 for more information on
such enclosures.)
Individual den size ranges from 4.5 m 2 to 9.5 m 2 (48.4 ft² to 102.3 ft²) and animal shift
doors measure 41 cm (16") wide x 41 cm – 59 cm (16" - 23") high. Each den needs a keeper
access door and they also need an animal shift door accessing the larger enclosure areas and
possibly, the adjoining den depending on exhibit and den placement. Dens should be
constructed with solid non-transparent containment barriers, such as concrete or tile, so
they provide maximum visual and acoustic privacy during cub-rearing. If although,
fence/lattice barriers are used they should be covered with wood/plywood boards during
cub rearing to offer additional privacy and prevent cubs from crawling through the fence/lattice
mesh. Strong fence/lattice barriers need mesh size that prevents entrapment of body parts (toes,
feet, and head). Fence/lattice mesh size that is 5 cm x 5 cm (2" x 2") or 5 cm x 20 cm (2" x 8")
have been used for a containment barrier for one side of the den. Fence mesh size of 2.5 cm x
2.5 cm (1" x 1") has also been used. When small fence mesh is used, it is advisable to place
feed gates within the fence barrier. For example, a feed gate could be 26 cm x 15 cm (10" x 6")
in size and have three evenly spaced bars over the opening to prevent otters from putting their
heads through the feed gate. When fence/lattice is used for one of the containment barrier sides
within a den, the den could also be used for an area to perform husbandry training or as an area,
in addition to other enclosure areas, to use for the introduction of unfamiliar/temporarily
separated animals. (See below.) A small border/edge (e.g. made of wood boards) can be
placed/fixed along the outside bottom edge of containment barriers that are not solid (i.e. fence,
lattice etc.) to prevent loose floor/land substrates from pushing through containment barriers.
This could also help prevent cubs from crawling between barrier mesh. Keeper access
doors/gates and animal shift doors/gates to the dens should be designed so that substrates (or
even toys etc.) will not block the door or gates’ path/movement/tracks. The animal shift and
keeper door/gate frames should be positioned (raised) somewhat above, e.g. approx. 10 cm [4”],
the surface height of the intended substrates to help prevent this from occurring. If the keeper
doors or shift gates are not already designed (e.g. raised) to help prevent substrates from
blocking them, simple modifications can be made for the same purpose (see Section 2C). If the
keeper or shift doors/gates to the dens are constructed of fence/lattice they also should be
covered with plywood/wood or other non-transparent materials or the shift doors could be
replaced with a non-transparent shift door. It is highly recommended to install infrared video
cameras with microphones in dens (as well as nestboxes and all enclosure areas) to monitor
cub progress etc. without disturbance to the parents during cub-rearing (see Section 10B).
Introduction gates and fences (also called "howdy gates" or "howdy fences"), that can
separate indoor and/or outdoor enclosure areas, should be used for visual-acousticolfactory
introduction of unfamiliar and temporarily separated otters. (See Section 8 for
introduction fence designs.) The larger the area that the introduction can take place, the
better. When dens are the only areas where visual introduction can take place, they should be
as large in size as possible, have fences/lattice and animal shift doors that are well located (to
connect dens/tunnels to make the den area larger, etc.), and fence/lattice containment barriers
with the recommended mesh size necessary for introductions. The fence/lattice should be used
as a containment barrier for at least one side of the den that connects with a larger enclosure
area or another den. Larger divisible enclosure areas although should be provided in
addition to dens to promote visual introduction success because small areas, such as dens, do
not have enough space to allow for appropriate visual introductions. Otters should be given
at least a reasonable size living area during the introduction period and they must have sufficient
area where they can hide or stay out of the other’s view when they feel it necessary. Otters
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