International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

Chapter 2:
Husbandry and Management Guidelines
Explanation of Terms and Mathematical Units Used Within This Manual
The definition of the following terms used within this manual are very specific (esp. the terms
“enclosure” and “land” which can be easily interpreted in many ways), therefore they should be
reviewed so that the guidelines within this manual can be properly interpreted. In addition to
the explanations below, a definition will usually be presented only the first time that the term
appears within Chapters 2-5.
Both metric and U.S. units are presented within this manual for all measurements. The U.S.
unit is presented within parentheses ( ) and it follows each metric unit. Within this manual, the
symbol . (a dot/period) indicates a fraction of a whole number follows after this symbol (e.g. 2.5
= 2 ½) . The symbol , (a comma) indicates that the entire number is separated into the unit of a
thousand/thousands only to make the reading of that number easier (e.g. 24,000 = twenty four
thousand).
“Cub” refers to a giant otter that is between approx. one day to six months old.
“Den” refers to an individual man-made room, usually small in size [e.g. 4 m² - 9m 2 ] (43.05 ft² -
96.88 ft²) and constructed with concrete, wood, etc., where an otter has access to. A nestbox can
be placed or animals can be briefly held (i.e. for enclosure cleaning, etc.) in a den. Dens are offexhibit
and they do not serve as a nestbox. See the definition of “nestbox” below.
“Enclosure” and “exhibit” are used interchangeably. They refer to any/all areas, both indoors
and outdoors, in which a captive otter is held or has access to, regardless of whether or not
public/visitors can view these areas or the areas are intended for temporary or permanent use.
They include such areas as dens, off-exhibit holding and quarantine areas, separable enclosure
areas, areas on-exhibit (i.e. for public viewing), etc..
“Exhibit”: see the term “enclosure” above.
“Expansive enclosure/exhibit” refers to any enclosure that is 600 m 2 (6,458.4 ft²) or larger.
“Furnishings and furniture” refer to any natural items (e.g. soft loose natural substrates, logs,
boulders, trees, cut or growing bamboo etc.) that can be placed in an otter enclosure.
“Furniture”: see the term “furnishings” above.
“Juvenile” refers to a giant otter that is approx. between six months to one year old.
“Land” refers to any base surface, whether man-made (e.g. concrete, tile, artificial rockwork,
wood, floor etc.) or natural ground (e.g. soil, mulch, sand, rock etc.), within the giant otters’
indoor and outdoor enclosures. These areas do not include the portion of the enclosure that is
intended for water (i.e. a swimming/wading area). The term “floor” may be used in addition to
the term “land” for greater clarification.
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