International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

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When an indoor or outdoor enclosure or separable enclosure area is between 240 m 2 (2,583.4 ft²) to 600 m 2 (6,458.4 ft²) in total size it is necessary to provide at least 60% land area in each of these locations (Duplaix-Hall 1972 &1975; Duplaix pers. comm. 2001; Sykes- Gatz 2001 & unpublished reports). I.e. each aforementioned location must not have less than 60% land area and it should have 40% water area. E.g. a 240 m 2 enclosure would require a 144 m 2 (1,550 ft²) land area and a 96 m 2 [1,033.3 ft²] water area. Enclosures that are 600 m 2 (6,458 ft²) or larger should have at least 60% land area, although when these expansive enclosures have very large areas of useable quality dry land available somewhat smaller land proportions (%) will offer otters with sufficient land area. As well, within these enclosures, water area proportions that are smaller by a reasonable amount will offer otters with sufficient water area. Providing enough land area is crucial although even within enclosures that are 600 m² or larger. Great caution must be taken when land area proportions are reduced below 60% within such enclosures. The amount that the land proportion is reduced should be in a reasonable proportion compared to how much the enclosure is actually above 600 m 2 (6,458 ft²) in size. If the total enclosure size is only a small amount above 600 m 2 the land area ratio % should not be decreased below 60%. For example, Americana Zoo’s (Brazil) 895 m 2 (9,633 ft²) enclosure has a 42% land to 58% water ratio. Although these dimensions do not provide at least 60% land area, the otters are provided with sufficient land area because the enclosure is well above 600 m 2 in size. Also, in an expansive exhibit, such as the 635 m 2 (6,835 ft²) exhibit in Brasilia Zoo (Brazil) that has an 85% land to 15% water ratio, sufficient water area is available. Part C. Minimum Enclosure Sizes The provision of expansive 1 complexly and naturally enriched enclosures is optimal (Duplaix- Hall 1972 & 1975; Foster-Turley 1990; Wünnemann 1995; Genealogical Meeting…in Brazil” 1998; Duplaix pers. comm. 2001; Sykes-Gatz 2001 & unpublished reports). 1 Within this manual “expansive enclosure/exhibit” means any enclosure that is 600 m 2 [6,458.4 ft²] or larger. The larger, more complex, and natural the enclosure, the more benefits gained. (The enclosure also requires the recommended land and water area designs and locations [esp. appropriate land to water ratios that provide enough land], substrates, and deep digging area sizes to offer these benefits.) This type of living area provides optimal enrichment and living conditions for giant otters. An “expansive” exhibit that offers otters ample area to dig underground dens is very important to help aid successful cub-rearing. This is because the larger the enclosure, the further parents can get away from human disturbances and presence during cub-rearing (i.e. the more privacy they have) and as well, natural underground dens provide additional visual and acoustic isolation. Also offered is an optimal area where otters can carry out, to the fullest extent possible in captivity, the innate terrestrial behaviors that are among the most important activities needed to allow them to significantly reduce or prevent the negative responses that can occur and cause significant problems during cub-rearing, new/unusual situations, and typical daily circumstances. (See Section 3 below for the aforementioned terrestrial activities.) Negative responses such as stress, nervousness, boredom, frustration, or fear etc. can cause problems such as litter loss, serious fights during introductions of unfamiliar animals, less/non directed or non goal oriented behaviors, stereotypical behaviors etc.. The minimum size enclosure for one giant otter pair should be at least 240 m 2 (2,583.4 ft²) (Duplaix-Hall* 1972 & 1975). Extra room should be considered for offspring. Minimum size 76
does not offer the same advantages of a large enclosure, although the quality of an enclosure is more important than the quantity of an enclosure. Concerning quality, an enriched complex enclosure can be made easily and inexpensively with the recommended simple natural furnishings, even after an enclosure (i.e. even those with hard base surfaces such as concrete) has been in use. This will not only benefit the otters, but it will also provide zoo visitors with an educational and enjoyable experience. Of course although, any enclosure intended for giant otters should be designed and furnished properly before the otters are placed in it. Giant otters should be provided with an outdoor enclosure. See the recommendations throughout Chapter 2 for the necessary outdoor enclosure furnishings and designs. “In temperate zones the giant otter needs both indoor and outdoor enclosures…. They are quite adaptable to colder outdoor temperatures as long as they can choose between the warm indoor and the outdoor enclosures.” (Wünnemann 1995). In temperate climates, it is necessary that an outdoor enclosure (with or without heated outdoor water) provides access to a heated indoor enclosure. Indoor enclosures that attach to outdoor enclosures must provide ample quality land area for otters to carry-out the “full range and extent of terrestrial activities” that can not be performed outside because temperatures are too low. These activities include digging, grooming, playing, and exercising on land and raising young. The meaning of the “full range and extent of terrestrial activities” is very specific and it is often misinterpreted because of general misconceptions about how giant otters should behave; see Section 3B for a description. In some cases water areas are needed in these indoor enclosures as well. (See Chapter 2 Section 9 for when and what type of indoor water areas are needed.) It is crucial that indoor enclosures that attach to outdoor enclosures have the recommended land to water ratios (to provide enough land if they have water areas), soft loose natural substrate types, qualities, and depths that cover nearly the entire land/floor area (including dens), and deep digging area sizes. (See Section 2 below and Part A & B above). (Different enclosure sizes require different land to water ratios.) In addition they must include dens 1 and nestboxes (see Sections 13-14 below) and the recommended land and water area locations and designs and locations for the dens and nestboxes (see Section 5 below for what is needed to keep these areas dry). They should include the natural furnishings recommended in Section 4 below and the water area design (if water areas are needed) recommended in Sections 7 & 9 below (some designs are required for safety). These enclosures also need the designs that can offer privacy from human disturbances during cub-rearing (see Section 10 below). See the recommended minimum enclosure size below. 1 “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 off-exhibit and they do not serve as a nestbox. It is essential that all indoor enclosures, whether attached to outdoor enclosures or not, include the basic necessities just listed above and those throughout Chapter 2. These provisions and designs will allow otters to carry out their terrestrial and aquatic (if necessary) activities in appropriate enclosure conditions, allow the land area, nestboxes, and dens to stay dry, and allow privacy from humans disturbances and presence during cub-rearing. 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. Problems can also occur or worsen when the other land and water area designs and locations and den and nestbox locations are not provided as recommended. (See the problems that will occur in 77
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International Giant Otter Studbook
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Dear reader, With this, the second
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Section 2 Introduction to Substrate
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Parental Behavior Overview.........
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Introduction This manual is a secon
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Contributing Institutions/Individua
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Dortmund Zoo: Current Director: Dr.
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Giant Otter Characteristics (The fo
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Chapter 1 Husbandry and Management
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informal international network has
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are only released into the wild, th
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malfunctions, due to severe inbreed
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maturity (i.e. at 2 years old), the
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Page 29 and 30: elow 240 m² (2,583.4 ft²) in size
Page 31 and 32: difficulties/abnormalities to a mod
Page 33 and 34: are to the water, but it is also de
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Page 37 and 38: greater problems. I.e. the ability
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Page 41 and 42: (esp. around approx. 10 to 11 years
Page 43 and 44: Hagenbecks Tierpark Giant Otter Vac
Page 45 and 46: Dietary Related Problems: Diarrhea
Page 47 and 48: times over 10 years) then disappear
Page 49 and 50: Thyroid Malfunctions: see Chapter 1
Page 51 and 52: unpublished report 1997). His hind
Page 53 and 54: vitamin B 1 tablet and one 400 IU v
Page 55 and 56: otters were exposed to in their enc
Page 57 and 58: animal, e.g. for serious/life threa
Page 59 and 60: conditions/problems can be identifi
Page 61 and 62: that the otters are very familiar a
Page 63 and 64: Section 5 Handrearing Captive-Born
Page 65 and 66: Chapter 5 for how to measure, Chapt
Page 67 and 68: proper authorities (i.e. park offic
Page 69 and 70: oth cubs were adopted by a wild ott
Page 71 and 72: Chapter 2: Husbandry and Management
Page 73 and 74: The following conditions (i.e. Numb
Page 75 and 76: The provision of the conditions lis
Page 77: proportionately increased and the w
Page 81 and 82: *Note: Duplaix’s guidelines for o
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Page 89 and 90: play, exercise etc. on. Note: when
Page 91 and 92: Cleaning Procedures for Substrates
Page 93 and 94: [4”] in width, could be placed 10
Page 95 and 96: The aforementioned problems are cau
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Page 101 and 102: It is not uncommon that pink foot/t
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Page 113 and 114: These husbandry provisions produce
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Live growing bamboo springs back up
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Section 5 Locations and Designs for
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all substrates) with/without vegeta
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indoors. Otters can also use each c
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Enclosures between 240 m² to 600 m
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other than substrates, and toys fro
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to help prevent water filtration/dr
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Section 10B discusses the locations
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areas may be sufficient when otters
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their normal daily terrestrial acti
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described below and in Section 12 b
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hear, that even familiar keepers ar
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nervous in behavior even during nor
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expansive enclosures are available
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the husbandry practices recommended
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keep cubs from crawling out (Duplai
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Chapter 1 for studies that should b
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practices and enclosure designs all
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care for the cubs (Schenck & Schenc
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was moved to another enclosure (Gat
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Inbreeding, physical, behavioral, a
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underground dens in this expansive
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Section 12 Natural Underground Dens
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22.34 ft] (11 sites) ; Kabo creek (
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Section 13 Den Construction “Den
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should not be introduced with physi
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door) could instead be made in the
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Section 15 Toys & Methods for Addit
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Although once items such as cardboa
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e designed or modified with these c
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Section 18 Introducing Unfamiliar &
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have been housed together and then
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contact introduction, i.e. to stop
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Section 19 Diet and Feeding Only go
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Cuiaba Zoo in Brazil (Marcato de Ol
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are consumed in varying amounts acc
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Captive giant otters have been obse
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part of the target. The target we u
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to secure the guillotine door with
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it stays close to the target. This
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these births may go undetected. Ult
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those working with her, from being
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ody temperatures to be taken, when
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abnormally frequent or excessive, i
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with a male (other than growing up
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of course, because information rega
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seen entering the shelter alone, bu
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At Hagenbeck Tierpark, Wünnemann (
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52.5 cm [20.6"]. It is assumed that
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cub weight growth curve in Graph 2
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contain glucose rather than sucrose
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and frequency after each toileting/
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Section 4 Toileting: To produce eli
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when no other better formula is ava
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prepared artificial milk replacers
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avoid dietary problems and help cub
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formula is accomplished. When cubs
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suggested above. The same feeding f
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successfully can often be difficult
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should then be allowed to lick the
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The general guideline that food/for
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very gently dipped in the bowl into
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enough), and explore while under su
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dig into, well-draining etc.) are n
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ecome healthy and their housing can
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Section 16 Companion Cubs and Handr
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Cubs must exercise and explore to p
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Table 3 : Summary of the internatio
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Table 5 : International giant otter
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Days/ Months Sex Weight/Length (ent
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Table 7: Adult Giant Otter Weights
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Graph 2 : Giant Otter Cub Weight Gr
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Duplaix, N. 1980. Observations on t
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asiliensis, Gmelin, 1788) No Zooló
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Otter Colloquium Pietermaritzburg 1
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International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

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