Otters in Zoos
The Otters in Zoos Task Force was born in 2008. The group consists of a number of core members with various advisors. These are organised into subgroups that work to cover issues such as specific species husbandry, rehabilitation and so on.
Condensed Mission Statement
Full Mission Statement
THIS PAGE IS CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED. PLEASE BEAR WITH US!
The core members are: Jan Reed-Smith (Chair), Addy de Jong, Melanie Haire, Dr. Carvalho Junior, Lionel LaFontaine, Rodrigo Pinho Lopez, DMV, Geraldine Nidasio
The captive species experts are: Christine Becker and Jan Reed-Smith (north american river otter); Oldermar Junior Carvalho (neotropical otter); Jane Jorgenson and Tammy Schmidt (giant otter); Teresa Shepard and Randi Meyerson (spotted-necked otter); Carol Heap (eurasian otter); Sarah Duncan and Jason Palmer (asian small-clawed otter)
Neotropical Subgroup
Report by Oldemar Carvalho Junior, Geraldine Nidasio & Jan Reed-Smith (2014)
Ekko Instituto Projecto Lontra
Care of Neotropical Otters (2009)
OZ Task Force Publications
These are free to download, but please remember to credit us!
An example citation is: Heap, C.J., Wright, L.C. and Andrews, L. (2008). Summary of Husbandry Guidelines for Asian Small-clawed Otters in Captivity. OZ Task Force, IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group. 17pp.
Summary of Husbandry Guidelines For Giant Otters In Zoos, Aquariums, & Wildlife Sanctuaries
Summary of Nutrition Guidelines for Otters in Zoos, Aquaria, Rehabilitation, and Wildlife Sanctuaries
Successful Hand-rearing and Rehabilitation of North American River Otter
Basics of Otter Training to improve welfare in captivity
Summary of Husbandry Guidelines for Eurasian Otters in Captivity.
– in Italian
– in Portuguese
Summary of Husbandry Guidelines for Spotted‐necked Otters in Captivity.
Summary of Husbandry Guidelines for North American River Otters in Captivity
Summary of Husbandry Guidelines for Asian Small-Clawed Otters in Captivity
– in Vietnamese
– in Bahasa Indonesia
Useful Documents
Caring for Selected Otter Species (2009)
North American River Otter Husbandry Manual 4th Edition (2012)
Asian Small-Clawed Otter Husbandry Manual (1998)
Minimum Husbandry Guidelines for Asian Small-Clawed Otters in Capitivity (2008)
Hand Rearing 1.1 Asian Small-Clawed Otter (2007)
International Giant Otter Studbook 2nd Edition (2011)
Strategies for the Conservation of the Giant Otter in the Meta Department, Colombia (2009)
International Giant Otter Studbook Husbandry and Management Information and Guidelines (2005)
Optimising Nutrition of Captive Eurasian Otters (2008)
Nutritional and Energetic Studies on Captive Eurasian Otters (2008)
Husbandry Guidelines: Eurasian Otter (2000)
Minimum Husbandry Guidelines for Smooth-Coated Otters in Captivity (2008)
