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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*[Training started at Dortmund Zoo in 1996 <strong>and</strong> it is continuing. It has been/is being carried out by<br />
Gatz <strong>and</strong>/or Sykes-Gatz. These persons also performed the training aforementioned at Brasilia Zoo in<br />
1998. Sykes [now Sykes-Gatz] carried out the training described at Philadelphia Zoo from 1996-1999.]<br />
<strong>Husb<strong>and</strong>ry</strong> training (via operant conditioning) is a stimulating <strong>and</strong> positively challenging form<br />
of behavior enrichment <strong>and</strong> it is highly recommended for many reasons other than just<br />
providing enrichment.<br />
<strong>Husb<strong>and</strong>ry</strong> training allows for better management of the otter during necessary husb<strong>and</strong>ry<br />
procedures. In this way, these procedures can be done more safely <strong>and</strong> easily, <strong>and</strong> very<br />
importantly as well, with little or no stress, to both the otters <strong>and</strong> zoo staff. Crate training is a<br />
very good example, as it is the best method to help animals become accustomed to the transport<br />
box <strong>and</strong> be easily readied for transport in a non/less stressful situation. The very stressful <strong>and</strong><br />
potentially dangerous procedure (for both otters <strong>and</strong> zoo staff) of netting, herding an animal into<br />
a crate, or anesthetizing it for transport can be avoided by crate training. (E.g. one giant otter<br />
died during recovery from anesthesia after it was anesthetized to crate it for transport to another<br />
institution.) The stress to the otter of being held inside the crate can also be significantly<br />
reduced. When crate training was carried out, giant otters have used/entered the transport crate<br />
either the same day or within the immediate days after the actual move/transport occurred<br />
(Sykes-Gatz <strong>and</strong> Gatz pers. obs.). Health <strong>and</strong> body condition have also been monitored <strong>and</strong><br />
some forms of minor medical treatment have been accomplished with husb<strong>and</strong>ry training. E.g.<br />
a medicinal spray was applied to a female’s irritated teats (cause unknown) when the otter was<br />
stationed to st<strong>and</strong> upright on her hind legs in a wooden frame (attached to a containment barrier<br />
fence) so her teats were exposed to the trainer. (The term “station” means that the animal is<br />
trained to remain stationary at one place within its enclosure.) A suspicious lump on a giant<br />
otter’s lower back/hind end could be closely monitored <strong>and</strong> palpated. Foot condition could be<br />
closely monitored <strong>and</strong> examined by the trainer spreading out/extending (i.e. with her/his h<strong>and</strong>s)<br />
the otter’s paws to their entire width for a full view.<br />
In addition, procedures that normally would not be able to be carried out on a regular basis or<br />
even at all (without significant stress or danger), are achievable during husb<strong>and</strong>ry training. For<br />
example, otters would have to be anesthetized to carry out some procedures, such as<br />
ultrasounds. Anesthetizing can be very dangerous to the otter <strong>and</strong> it is only recommended to be<br />
carried out when it is absolutely necessary (e.g. for serious/life threatening health problems,<br />
when necessary medical treatment can be administered in no other way). (See Section 4 Part A<br />
above for problems that have occurred while giant otters were under anesthesia.) Conducting<br />
ultrasounds, via husb<strong>and</strong>ry training, has been used to confirm pregnancy, view fetuses, evaluate<br />
health <strong>and</strong> uterine condition during pregnancy <strong>and</strong> after litter loss, <strong>and</strong> to confirm false<br />
pregnancies (which are not uncommon) with no/little stress or danger to the otters <strong>and</strong> zoo staff.<br />
See why it is so important to detect pregnancies in Part B above. <strong>Giant</strong> otters have been scale<br />
trained to monitor weights. Weight gain may also indicate pregnancy <strong>and</strong> weight gain or loss<br />
may indicate the existence of health problems.<br />
Training is of course also a very helpful tool to improve the keeper - animal relationship, which<br />
is important during giant otter cub-rearing, as well as many husb<strong>and</strong>ry procedures (Gatz 1997).<br />
During cub rearing, giant otters are very sensitive to any kind of human disturbance <strong>and</strong><br />
presence. Privacy from human disturbances <strong>and</strong> presence during cub-rearing has been found to<br />
be the most important husb<strong>and</strong>ry practice responsible for successful parent-rearing of giant otter<br />
litters in zoos world-wide <strong>and</strong> historically (Sykes 1998/2002 & Sykes-Gatz 2001). In a zoo<br />
environment, some minimal disturbances are unavoidable during cub-rearing, <strong>and</strong> it is essential<br />
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