International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

Section 16
Companion Cubs and Handrearer / Cub Interactions
Many questions exist on how human contact, contact or lack of contact with other otters during
handrearing, housing conditions, “hacking out” methods etc. may significantly affect success of
both handreared captive born and orphaned wild otters. For example, the ability of both types
of individuals that are housed permanently in captivity or released in the wild, should be
scientifically studied on a long-term basis to determine how successfully they pair with a mate,
breed, and rear offspring. (See the last paragraph and Chapter 1 for a discussion of future
problems of handreared otters.)
Ideally, handreared cubs should be socialized with healthy conspecifics near their same
age, as early in life as possible (Read and Meier 1996). “Interaction with other animals is
vital.” Giant otters are highly social and live in family groups in the wild. Mated pairs bond for
life and all family members (including sub-adult offspring) help to take care of the cubs. Each
litter usually consists of more than one cub and cubs are dependent upon the other family
members for care, socialization, learning life skills etc.. It is therefore ideal if more than one
giant otter cub (i.e. siblings or healthy cubs near their same age) can be reared/housed together.
This will help provide for their stimulation, enrichment, and mental, social, behavioral, and
physical development and health needs [i.e. socialization, companionship/contact, play
interactions etc.] (Read and Meier 1996). Unfortunately, it is not always possible to handrear
giant otters together.
Some handreared carnivores may “…have difficulty fitting into a social group, exhibiting either
excessive aggression or shyness. Animals raised without any carnivore contact may not fit in at
all, preferring human contact to that of their own species.” (Read & Meier 1996). It also should
be determined if there are “critical periods” for the social development of handreared giant otter
cubs. I.e. critical periods exist for the socialization of domestic dogs and therefore exotic
species [such as giant otters], may also have a critical period (Read & Meier 1996).
“Experiences, or lack of them, during these times may permanently affect the animal, resulting
in abnormal adult behavior.” Additionally, cubs that are reared alone and/or not socialized early
enough in life with conspecifics may not only be unable to interact normally with conspecifics,
but they may even reject or kill them when introduction does occur. They may also be
unsuccessful at breeding and rearing offspring.
On the other hand, great caution must be taken as young giant otters, juveniles, sub-adults, or
adults may fight with, injure or possibly, even kill unfamiliar young animals introduced to them.
Unfortunately, reports of this do exist. Young otters have fought against other unfamiliar young
otters and adults have fought against unfamiliar young animals and even familiar juveniles
(Lazzarini pers. comm.; Kranz pers. comm.).
Great caution and visual-acoustic-olfactory, before full physical contact, introductions
must be used to introduce unfamiliar animals and temporarily separated animals. The
introduction process must be monitored closely by those experienced with giant otters and
conducted gradually. Animals should never be left alone, unsupervised or unmonitored during
the full contact introductions, with other young otters or older otters until they show continued
positive interactions and it is clearly evident that they are getting along well. For example,
some otters can show initial positive reactions during visual-acoustic-olfactory or/and full
physical contact introductions, but afterwards they may fight with, injure, or even try to kill
each other. See Chapter 2 for information on introduction methods.
257