International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management
International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management
International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management
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Chapter 4<br />
Reproductive Biology, Cub Development & Parental Behavior<br />
Introduction<br />
Chapter 1 Sections 2, 4 <strong>and</strong> 5 discuss which aspects of reproduction, physical <strong>and</strong> behavioral<br />
cub development, cub health, <strong>and</strong> parental behavior should be documented <strong>and</strong> shared by each<br />
institution holding giant otters. Also discussed in Chapter 1 are the aspects that need further<br />
study. Only some of these issues are discussed below. Chapter 1 <strong>and</strong> Chapter 2 Section 10<br />
describe how these aspects can be monitored without disturbing parents rearing their<br />
litters <strong>and</strong> the cubs. The methods that can be used to determine if females are pregnant (i.e. to<br />
confirm false/true pregnancies etc.), to monitor the females’ reproductive health in old age, <strong>and</strong><br />
to attain milk (lactation) samples after litter loss for nutritional content analyses are described in<br />
Chapter 1 Sections 4-5. Chapter 5 describes in detail the general daily maintenance records that<br />
should be kept during h<strong>and</strong>rearing, although a complete overview of all of the records that<br />
should be maintained during h<strong>and</strong>rearing are discussed in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 Section 10<br />
describes in detail some of the records that are necessary to keep during cub-rearing <strong>and</strong><br />
Chapter 1 discusses a complete overview <strong>and</strong> more detailed aspects on many of these issues. It<br />
is crucial that every holding institution keeps <strong>and</strong> openly shares all of the aforementioned<br />
records.<br />
Note:<br />
“Cub” refers to a giant otter that is between approx. one day to six months old.<br />
“Juvenile” refers to a giant otter that is approx. between six months to one year old.<br />
“Sub-adult” refers to a giant otter that is between approx. one year to two years old.<br />
“Successfully reared cub” is a cub that lives to one year or older.<br />
“Successfully reared litter” is where at least one cub in the litter survives to one year old or<br />
older.<br />
Section 1<br />
Mating, Gestation, Cub Development & Parental Behavior in Captivity<br />
Parental Behavior Overview:<br />
<strong>Giant</strong> otters are highly social <strong>and</strong> live in family groups. In the wild, mated pairs bond for life<br />
<strong>and</strong> all family members including offspring, usually 1 to 2 years old, from the parents’ previous<br />
litters help to care for the cubs (Duplaix 1980; Schenck & Schenck 1994). As well, each litter<br />
usually consists of from one to four cubs born one time per year. The cubs are dependent upon<br />
the other family members for care, socialization, learning life skills etc.. In captivity, parents<br />
should be allowed to rear their cubs together as this is normal behavior. Preventing such<br />
activities will likely cause significant problems such as litter loss etc. (see Chapter 2 Section<br />
10C). Both parents will take care of the cubs, teach them how to swim etc. <strong>and</strong> both will<br />
carry/move them to different nestboxes occasionally. It should not be assumed that because of<br />
certain behaviors, that the presence of fathers during cub-rearing will have a negative impact on<br />
the success of cub-rearing. For example, it seems to be normal, both in captivity <strong>and</strong> in the wild<br />
(Staib 2002), that fathers will often take cubs out of the den/nestbox <strong>and</strong> the mothers will<br />
immediately take action to return the cubs to the den/nestbox. When this behavior is not<br />
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