International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

The following conditions (i.e. Numbers 1-10) are among the most important requirements
necessary for the husbandry of giant otters. They are required for every indoor and
outdoor enclosure and separable enclosure area. When enclosures, whether already in use
or being designed for use, do not fulfill the following conditions, it is necessary to modify
them so that they do. In most cases, even when the enclosure is already in use or being
designed, such changes and additions are simple and inexpensive to make and maintain
thereafter. E.g. the recommended mulch and soft sand types, qualities, and depths are ideal for
both indoor and outdoor use to cover over inappropriate surfaces such as hard, artificial, tightly
packed/compacted (e.g. soil with/without vegetation), poor draining, and slow drying surfaces.
The required substrates are inexpensive, very effective, easy to care for, remain sanitary, and at
each institution at least one or more of these substrates are easy to acquire. They also can be
easily provided whether the giant otter enclosure is already in use or not and regardless of any
existing surfaces within the enclosure. When land to water ratios provide smaller land
proportions than recommended, artificial (e.g. concrete) or natural pools (when more than one
exists) can be emptied or portions of pools can be divided with waterproof barriers/walls. These
can then be filled in with appropriate substrates to create enough land. [Unless otherwise noted,
the guidelines for the recommended enclosure conditions below are presented within Chapter 2.]
1. The provision of the recommended land to water area ratios. The land to water ratios must
provide at least the minimum size (proportion) land area required. Note: each indoor and
outdoor enclosure and separable enclosure area below 240 m² (2,583.4 ft²) in size, requires
a different land to water ratio based on its specific size. (The land area percentage, in the
ratio, must be proportionately increased and the water area percentage must be
proportionately decreased, as the total enclosure or separable enclosure area size is
decreased below 240 m 2 . See the formula necessary to determine the ratios.) Enclosures
between 240 m² to 600 m² (6,458.4 ft²) require other land to water ratios, as do those above
600 m². See Section 1B. Some indoor enclosures that are attached to outdoor enclosures
may not need water areas or full size water areas (see Number 9 below). See Section 9 for
when indoor enclosure water areas (e.g. pools/swim tanks) are necessary and for the type of
indoor water area needed, as well as for water and air temperature recommendations.
2. The provision of the recommended soft loose natural substrate types, qualities, and depths
that cover nearly the entire enclosure land and floor area. See Section 2. Note: even when
the enclosure surfaces that otters are directly exposed to are soft, loose, and natural as
required, only the specific soil, sand, and mulch types, qualities, and depths recommended
are appropriate. E.g. soil, sand, or mulch that contains pebbles (smooth, rounded, or
otherwise), gravel, small rocks, construction sand, or abrasive sand mixed throughout is
coarse and it is therefore inappropriate. After continual use, soil with/without vegetation
must remain loose enough that otters can easily dig into it and effectively groom on it.
(Grooming includes digging into and scratching on/up substrates and vegetation to loosen
the soil, sand, or mulch particles to cover the body). The soil must also remain easily drying
and well draining after regular exposure to water, large areas of vegetation/turf have been
cleared away, and the otters have regularly dug and groomed throughout their entire
enclosure land area. Soil or any other substrate that cannot maintain all of these qualities are
inappropriate for direct use. These substrates, therefore must not be offered for direct use
and it is necessary that soil, sand, or mulch with the recommended qualities be used to
replace or cover over them. When mulch or sand is below the recommended minimum
depth or mulch bark pieces break down and new mulch is not added on top of the existing
mulch, this can cause them to remain very damp/wet. Other inappropriate enclosure
conditions can also cause surfaces to remain very damp/wet.
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