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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that otters have available to freely play <strong>and</strong> exercise.] All of these behaviors will be carried out<br />
with decreased intensity. <strong>Giant</strong> otters will also spend a significantly greater percentage of their<br />
entire day in the water than on l<strong>and</strong> because there are far fewer opportunities for them to carry<br />
out goal-oriented behaviors on l<strong>and</strong>. I.e. inadequate environments do not offer sufficient area on<br />
which otters can focus on or divert their attentions <strong>and</strong> actions to in a healthy <strong>and</strong> normal<br />
manner. <strong>Giant</strong> otters will swim aimlessly or swim pace in the water rather than walk aimlessly<br />
or pace on l<strong>and</strong>. Swimming aimlessly means that the otter is swimming without real purpose to<br />
accomplish something. E.g. it is not swimming to exercise, play/interact with other otters, catch<br />
fish, etc.. The more unsuitable the l<strong>and</strong> area, the more time otters will spend in the water vs. on<br />
the l<strong>and</strong>.<br />
When giant otters behave in the aforementioned ways in captivity, they are not carrying out their<br />
behaviors in a normal <strong>and</strong> healthy way compared to captive otters that can carry out their<br />
behaviors to the full extent, therefore these animals, in comparison to the aforementioned otters,<br />
are not exhibiting normal <strong>and</strong> healthy behavior. Unfortunately giant otters are not uncommonly<br />
reported to behave as such, therefore a significant number of institutions mistakenly assume that<br />
this is an exhibition of normal <strong>and</strong> healthy behavior in captivity. Observations of giant otters<br />
held in partially, or even totally, inadequate enclosure conditions as described or of otters that<br />
have not recovered to full health because they have been exposed to appropriate enclosure<br />
conditions for only part of their life (see below), have often caused these misconceptions. <strong>Otter</strong><br />
enclosures are often designed <strong>and</strong> furnished with these misconceptions, as well as the<br />
misconception that river otters are aquatic mammals, in mind. (<strong>Giant</strong> otters are l<strong>and</strong> mammals<br />
that swim.) <strong>Giant</strong> otters are reacting in these ways because their enclosures do not offer l<strong>and</strong><br />
area where they can/will carry out the aforementioned essential behaviors to the full extent. The<br />
entire l<strong>and</strong> area can not be used in the way that is necessary to maintain normal healthy behavior.<br />
When the behaviors, that are among the most important needed to help prevent, counteract, or<br />
significantly reduce the chance that negative reactions develop (i.e. stress, boredom,<br />
nervousness, fear, frustration etc.), become severely impaired, the chance that negative<br />
responses will occur are significantly increased. I.e. because the otters can not carry out<br />
digging, grooming, playing, <strong>and</strong> exercising on l<strong>and</strong> to the full extent, their opportunities to<br />
focus/divert their attentions <strong>and</strong> actions away from the stressful, frustrating, frightening, or<br />
uninteresting situations that can occur during typical daily, new/unusual, or cub-rearing<br />
situations, are significantly limited. The negative responses that can develop or abnormally<br />
elevate in such circumstances cannot therefore be significantly reduced/counteracted, when the<br />
otters focus on the stressful etc. situations. Abnormally elevated <strong>and</strong> excessive levels of negative<br />
responses can occur when the recommended enclosure conditions are not offered. The more<br />
inappropriate the enclosure conditions, the more limited their opportunities are to carry out<br />
normal healthy behavior, the less the ability they have to counteract/reduce the negative<br />
responses, <strong>and</strong> the greater the resulting health problems.<br />
As a result, mental/behavioral health problems (in addition to the abnormalities) have occurred<br />
among a significant number of giant otters in typical daily circumstances in varying intensities<br />
from mild to severe. Stereotypical behaviors (esp. swim pacing), less/non directed or non-goal<br />
oriented behaviors (esp. swimming aimlessly/without purpose sometimes to an excessive<br />
extent), frustration, stress, tension, very dulled/lack of alertness, attentiveness, <strong>and</strong> curiosity,<br />
depression, dulled responsiveness, nervousness, fear of change, <strong>and</strong> other abnormal behaviors<br />
have occurred. Additionally, as a result, the negative responses that usually/normally or easily<br />
occur during cub-rearing or new/unusual situations can be increased. Abnormally elevated <strong>and</strong><br />
excessive levels of negative responses have occurred <strong>and</strong> these reactions in turn have caused<br />
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