Wow, I like the look of this enclosure at the RSCC! A very rare otter species shown in a nice-looking pool, and with a naturalistic background. The exhibit is not huge in size, but there is more than enough room for a couple of otters. Hopefully the new aardwolf exhibit is just as impressive.
@johnstoni: I was simply attempting to say something positive about this disgrace of a "zoo", as I have been one of many people who have bashed the place. Compared to the crappy enclosures for fishing cat, malayan tapir, clouded leopard, flamingo, snow leopard, gibbon, etc, the small-clawed otter exhibit is a masterpiece. All of those amazing species, and many more, crammed onto less than 2 acres is an absolute disgrace.
Sure, and I was not meaning to conflict with what you were saying, I wanted to contribute to this interesting debate on the RSCC.
Aesthetically, it is beautiful, the pool is a fair size, lots of lush overhanging tropical vegetation as well.
My questions would be, however:
How deep is the pool?
Is there a very noisy waterfall nearby? Is it switched off at intervals, or do the otters have any choice in getting away from it?
What choice of substrate is available to the otters?
Are there areas they can retreat to off-exhibit?
Is there a service enclosure for the male/adequate cubbing facilities?
Is the air well circulated in the halls?
Remember these are far larger than short-clawed otters. Although we equate heat and tropical plants with these animals, it has been shown time and time again that tropical species thrive in temperate zoos when access to fresh air is provided over entirely indoor heated space. I think the otter pool serves as an excellent indoor/winter enclosure, but a heated greenhouse in kent is not the same as a cambodian stream habitat.
Yes, it does appear better in some respects than the other enclosures, but the poor design of the others shouldn't compromise our ability to critique the better ones......
