International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management

Section 3
Why The Recommended Soft Loose Natural Substrates, Land to Water Ratios (i.e.
minimum size land/floor area) & Deep Digging Areas Are Necessary in Every Enclosure
Introduction
When land to water ratios offer smaller land proportions than recommended or substrates
or deep digging areas are not provided as recommended, giant otters are susceptible to
developing specific health problems or/and abnormalities. 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 has also been adversely affected or seriously
compromised without the aforementioned provisions. 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.
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.
Observations of giant otters held in partially, or even totally, inappropriate enclosure
conditions as described or of otters that have not recovered to full health because they have
been exposed to appropriate enclosure conditions for only part of their life, have often led
to misleading conclusions. When the animals observed have mistakenly been perceived to
exhibit physical or behavioral health and normality, this has led to the assumption that the
enclosure designs and furnishings that these otters are or have been provided with
are/were appropriate. This in turn has led to misleading conclusions about how giant otter
exhibits should be designed and furnished. Additionally, in the past, river otters were
thought to be aquatic mammals and unfortunately exhibits were designed with this
misconception in mind (Duplaix 1972 citing Hediger 1970). Inappropriate enclosure
conditions, esp. improper land to water ratios that resulted in not enough land area or/and
improper substrates, were often the reason that health problems occurred. Contemporary giant
otter health problems and inappropriate enclosure designs and furnishings seem to reflect that
this misconception, as well as the others aforementioned, are still not uncommon. Otters cannot
use, without inefficiency, difficulty, lack of comfort, and/or harm to their physical and/or
behavioral health or normality, inappropriate substrate types, depths, or qualities, or insufficient
land or digging areas to dig, groom, exercise, play, or to simply live on. For some of these
activities, they will or cannot use them at all. Otters as well, will not be able to carry out
grooming, digging, exercising, or playing on land to the full extent that is necessary, not only to
maintain their behavioral health and normality, but also to promote successful cub-rearing and
adjustment to new/unusual situations.
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