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Did You Know?
The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo to exhibit giant otters in North America in 1996.
Viewing Hints
The otters are most active between 10-11 am and at the end of the day between 3-5 pm. They enjoy napping mid-day when the weather's really warm!
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Giant otter
Pternonura brasiliensis
| Size |
Giant otters are about six feet long from head to tail |
| Weight |
they usually weigh between 60 and 70 pounds. Males are only slightly larger than females. |
| Conservation Status |
On the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the giant otter is listed as Endangered. |
| Diet |
Giant otters are picivorous, meaning they only eat fish. In the wild giant otter commonly prey on medium sized cichlids and trahirs. At the Zoo, their diet includes a variety of fish including tilapia and rainbow trout. A vitamin and mineral supplement is added to the diet to make up for any nutrient losses in the fish during storage. When the otters are rearing pups, catfish are added to the diet. Wild giant otters frequently hunt catfish in the dry season, which also corresponds to when pups are born in the wild. |
| Geographic Range |
They are usually found in oxbow lakes and slow-moving rivers within the tropical rainforests of South America. |
| Where to find me in the Zoo |
Carnivore Kingdom |
Note: Description below should include Longevity, Behavior, and Reproduction information
Giant otters have a seal-like head with well-developed jaw muscles and 34-36 teeth. Their wide, flattened wedge of a tail enables them to swim with great speed and maneuver easily underwater. The otters' forefeet are shorter than their hind feet and each foot has five toes with sharp non-retractile claws and webbing that reach the tips of the toes. Their ears are small and round and like their nostrils, can be closed by special muscles when underwater.
A river otter's fur is so dense that water never reaches the skin, even when swimming. Giant otter guard hairs trap air and keep the dense inner fur dry. The coat is mainly brown or gray and is usually darker on the back and lighter on the chest, throat and underside. On the throat is a uniquely-shaped creamy white patch that, like fingerprints in humans, can be used to identify each otter. Throughout Europe, Asia and America, otter pelts are such highly prized fashion items that by the middle of the 20th century, over-hunting almost led to extinction.
Reproduction
In March 2004, a giant river otter gave birth at the Philadelphia Zoo, the first North American zoo to have a successful birth. Unlike most otter species, giant otters living in the wild live in extended family groups (usually 4-8 otters) with strong bonds between breeding pairs. The female is the dominant partner in breeding pairs. Families usually consist of a breeding pair and their offspring which help the parents raise younger siblings. In the wild, young are born between August and October. Females have a gestation of 65-80 days giving birth to between one and five pups per litter.
Behavior
Giant otters are more vocal than the North American river otters. They have very distinctive sounds and complex communication. Giant otters are diurnal, or active during the day. They catch prey with their mouths and hold it with their paws while eating.
They will clear areas along the banks of lakes or rivers which they use for resting and grooming. Both females and males scent-mark their territory. Giant otters are member of the Mustelid family, which also includes weasels, skunks and ferrets. All the animals of the Mustelid family have strong scent glands.
Banjo (BAN-yo): Male, born April 13, 1992 at the Hamburg Zoo in Germany. Arrived here on April 29, 1996 with his brother Rio. Rio was sent to a zoo in Brazil on December 3, 2002 and a female was received at the Philadelphia Zoo for breeding with Banjo.
Nina: Female, born at a zoo in Brazil on May 20, 2000. Received on breeding loan from the government of Brazil on October 22, 2002, and introduced to Banjo on December 18, 2002.
Rijo (REE-ho): Male, born here on November 26, 2006. The name Rijo (Portugese for tough and hearty) was selected by popular vote in a naming contest held on the Philadelphia Zoo website.
Tocantins & Paru: Females, born here on August 18, 2008. They were named after rivers in Brazil.
Enrichment
Adoption Information
Featured Foster Parent
The Philadelphia Zoo is one of only three zoos in North America to exhibit giant river otters. Playful, fun and energetic, giant river otters are one of our guests' favorite exhibits. Our family of six otters enjoys a 13,600 gallon heated pool, where visitors can watch them swim and dive underwater.
We were thrilled when Primero was born on March 30, 2004. He is the first successful giant otter birth pup born in a North American zoo. We had so much fun watching him grow up and are excited to see him helping to teach his younger siblings to swim, play and eat fish.
Zookeepers make many modifications to how they manage the otters when Nina is pregnant. With the help of remote cameras, they are able to observe the family raising it's young during this critical time without having to disturb them. After the pups are a few months old, the keepers begin establishing a bond with them, which includes hand feeding and eventually training so the otters will stand voluntarily on a scale and allow for vaccinations and other veterinary care.
Enrichment
The giant river otter is one of the rarest otter species in the world. People sometimes hunt otters for fur, although the trade on pelts was outlawed in 1973. Otters are easy targets for hunters because they are active during the day and are gregarious, noisy and curious.
According to estimates, only 2,000 to 5,000 giant river otters are left in the wild, and those are only found in remote and undisturbed areas. The otters primary threats are habitat destruction and water pollution. Competition with local fishermen may also negatively impact giant otter populations. In addition, stress from unregulated tourism can result in loss of giant otter litters.
Zoo Research
Sources:
(1) Philadelphia Zoo staff
(2) IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 04 January 2008.
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