International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

e 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
other than substrates, and toys from blocking pool drains or causing other problems.
Water quality and, if used, chemical additives and their levels, must be monitored closely.
Excessive chemicals or poor water quality could cause sickness or/and poor fur coat condition.
Poor fur coat condition can also cause sickness that could lead to death. (Note: problems with
water quality and excessive chemicals and health problems resulting from them, have not been
reported to occur among captive giant otters. See below for occurrences of leptospirosis.) If the
state of the water is causing these health problems, immediate action must be taken to improve
the condition of the water and provide any necessary medical care. The entire situation must be
carefully evaluated, although, to make sure that other reasons are not responsible for causing
poor fur coat condition. It is important to note that land to water ratios that do not provide
enough land area or substrates that are of inappropriate types, qualities, or depths can cause
land/floor surfaces to remain very damp/wet and this can also cause poor fur coat condition and
health problems, such as infections and death. These inappropriate land conditions have
commonly been the reason why poor coat condition and their related illnesses have occurred
(Duplaix Hall 1975). In such cases, the enclosure land conditions must be corrected to resolve
and prevent such problems from reoccurring and of course, medical care must be provided when
necessary; see Section 3 above.
Fish should be fed in amounts that otters can finish, so that excess uneaten fish is not left
in enclosures during the day and overnight. Uneaten fish can attract rats and rats could
transmit leptospirosis to the otters. A couple giant otters have contracted leptospirosis and this
is suspected to have occurred because large amounts of uneaten fish were left daily in
enclosures overnight/during the day. When fish remains exist, they should be removed from all
water and land areas daily. Otters will eat their fish in pools or take their fish into the water, as
well as eat fish on land. Caution must be taken, as illness may also occur if otters (esp. cubs) eat
spoiled fish remains or are exposed to harmful bacteria ridden swim water (other than exposure
to leptospirosis, neither of these events have been reported to occur). Note: it is not
uncommon that otters will pick up small pieces of left over fish within their pools and land
area and eat them; this although has not been reported to cause problems. It is nearly
impossible, even with filtration systems, to remove all small fish pieces from the water.
Water areas should be located and designed so that they can be accessed/serviced quietly,
quickly, and easily and if possible while hidden from the otters’ view, while parents are
rearing cubs. This is necessary so that servicing can be done with minimal or no human
disturbance (both visual and acoustic) to the otters during cub-rearing. E.g. swim tanks/pools
can be designed so that they can be emptied and filled with fresh water or/and be provided with
a small gentle constant flow of fresh water, without the keeper having to enter the enclosure.
See Section 10B above for more information on enclosure designs and privacy needed during
cub-rearing.
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