International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

The provision of the conditions listed in Numbers 1-3 above are among the most crucial
requirements necessary for the husbandry of giant otters. These provisions are just as
important as the need for a swimming area. When indoor and/or outdoor enclosure land to
water ratios offer smaller land proportions than recommended or/and land/floor surfaces are not
nearly entirely covered with soft loose natural substrates (including appropriate depths, types,
and qualities) or provided with sufficient size deep digging areas as recommended, health
problems and/or abnormalities will occur. Other inappropriate land and water area locations
and designs and unsuitable locations for nestboxes, dens and areas for natural underground dens
can also cause or worsen health problems. Some of these problems are not uncommon among
captive giant otters and some are very serious or have the potential to become very serious.
Also originally, some were mistaken to be an exhibition of healthy physical condition or normal
healthy behavior. It was although, after long-term studies, recently discovered that they are
actually an exhibition of unhealthiness or abnormality for captive Pteronura, rather than the
opposite. The ability of giant otters to successfully rear cubs and adjust to new/unusual
situations can also be adversely affected or seriously compromised in the aforementioned
conditions. See Sections 3 and 5 for more information. Also when parents are not provided
with privacy/isolation from human disturbances during cub-rearing, cub-rearing success has
been negatively affected. Normal/routine human activities tolerated before parturition can cause
parents significant stress at and after parturition and can result in the parents’ failure to care for
their cubs properly (i.e. parents can neglect, abuse, or eat their cubs and litter/cub loss can occur
as a result). See Section 10 and Chapter 1 Section 2 for more information. Reports of
significant injury and death during improperly conducted giant otter introductions have not been
uncommon. See Section 18. Cubs esp. may not be able to exit water areas safely or at all with
inappropriate water area designs. See Section 7.
When cubs are reared to independence, unfamiliar and temporarily separated animals are
introduced and then housed together, or otters are maintained to an old age in inappropriate
enclosure conditions or/and with inappropriate husbandry practices, this does not validate that
the enclosure conditions and/or husbandry practices used were appropriate. (I.e. this does not
mean that these circumstances are appropriate because such outcomes have occurred.) It is
essential that inappropriate enclosure conditions and husbandry practices are not repeated or
used at any other institution based on the conclusions that such outcomes have occurred.
Pool drains, filters, skimmers, water filtration/cleaning systems, waterfalls, underwater viewing
areas, swim tanks/tubs, and all water areas must be able to accommodate the soft loose
natural substrates that may be tracked, pushed, dug etc. into the water from land and floor
areas. The simple designs and furnishings described in Section 2C can help prevent substrates
from entering water areas and blocking drains or causing other problems. Although, even with
these methods, some substrates will enter the water. Because it is necessary that every indoor
and outdoor enclosure land and floor surface is nearly entirely covered with soft loose natural
substrates as recommended, enclosure water areas etc. should be designed or modified with
these considerations in mind. (These methods will also help prevent leaves, sticks, bark, etc.
that have fallen from trees, fish remains, natural furnishings other than substrates, and toys from
blocking pool drains or causing other problems.)
73