To the contrary, it looks like another one of those cocrete, barren, sterile enclosures without any outside access, natural substrates or even enrichment of any kind and pretty small on top of that. Still its far from being the worst I have seen and of course I might be wrong - I only know the photo - but that is what it looks like to me.
It is amazing what Asian small clawed otters can put up with. They seem quite adaptable to even the most rediculous enclosure and that misleads one zoo management after another to give them just that type of enclosure - or much worse ...
But there is more to an otters life than breeding successfully and staying fairly healthy - at least a few zoos get that !
To the contrary, it looks like another one of those cocrete, barren, sterile enclosures without any outside access, natural substrates or even enrichment of any kind and pretty small on top of that. Still its far from being the worst I have seen and of course I might be wrong - I only know the photo - but that is what it looks like to me.
To the contrary, it looks like another one of those cocrete, barren, sterile enclosures without any outside access, natural substrates or even enrichment of any kind and pretty small on top of that. Still its far from being the worst I have seen and of course I might be wrong - I only know the photo - but that is what it looks like to me.
It is amazing what Asian small clawed otters can put up with. They seem quite adaptable to even the most rediculous enclosure and that misleads one zoo management after another to give them just that type of enclosure - or much worse ...
But there is more to an otters life than breeding successfully and staying fairly healthy - at least a few zoos get that !
Its an amazing exhibit with many waterfalls and a deep pool with a lot of branches in the water, this is not just an otter exhibit, its also for Indian Crested Porcupines, they rotate with the otters at 4:00
Its an amazing exhibit with many waterfalls and a deep pool with a lot of branches in the water, this is not just an otter exhibit, its also for Indian Crested Porcupines, they rotate with the otters at 4:00
A deep pool and waterfalls do not make this (or any other) exhibit good for otters. Those features are pretty for visitors but they do nothing for the welfare of the otters. Other aspects are much more important for otters. The fact that it is a rotation exhibit makes it even worse - what does the holding area look like ?
The importance of water features for otters is constantly over rated. The general rule for Asian small clawed otter enclosure land to water ratios is 5:1, meaning five parts of land to 1 part of water. The land area has to be good quality, meaning natural substrates and varied terrain and lots of hiding places.
I recommend you learn a bit about otter biology before you judge the quality of otter enclosures.
A deep pool and waterfalls do not make this (or any other) exhibit good for otters. Those features are pretty for visitors but they do nothing for the welfare of the otters. Other aspects are much more important for otters. The fact that it is a rotation exhibit makes it even worse - what does the holding area look like ?
The importance of water features for otters is constantly over rated. The general rule for Asian small clawed otter enclosure land to water ratios is 5:1, meaning five parts of land to 1 part of water. The land area has to be good quality, meaning natural substrates and varied terrain and lots of hiding places.
I recommend you learn a bit about otter biology before you judge the quality of otter enclosures.
A deep pool and waterfalls do not make this (or any other) exhibit good for otters. Those features are pretty for visitors but they do nothing for the welfare of the otters. Other aspects are much more important for otters. The fact that it is a rotation exhibit makes it even worse - what does the holding area look like ?
The importance of water features for otters is constantly over rated. The general rule for Asian small clawed otter enclosure land to water ratios is 5:1, meaning five parts of land to 1 part of water. The land area has to be good quality, meaning natural substrates and varied terrain and lots of hiding places.
I recommend you learn a bit about otter biology before you judge the quality of otter enclosures.
