Snowleopard's Mammals: A Lifetime List of Species Mammalian and Non-Mammalian

[snowleopard]

I've seen Small-clawed Otters at 82 zoos. For all the talk from zoos about saving animal biodiversity, it's fascinating that 80% of all the zoos I've seen with otters have had the two most popular species. Seeing any other type of otter is a rare occurrence.

While I only ever came across North American River Otters in a single European zoo, with Small-clawed Otters it's a grand total of 41 zoos in Europe. Exactly 50% of my sightings were on my two European zoo treks. This species is ridiculously common in Western European nations, and in many cases they are combined with other animals in mixed-species exhibits. One thing I'll highlight in this post is that the vast majority of North American zoos keep otters alone and with no other species, while in Western Europe there's a long list of animals mixed with Small-clawed Otters. From a visitor's perspective, it's incredibly engaging and a far superior method of showcasing animals that would already associate with each other in the wild. However, some European zoos might take it too far, with geographical accuracy tossed out the window.

2008 = 14 zoos
2019 = 33 zoos

1- Perth Zoo (Australia) – Small-clawed Otter – 1987
2- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2005
3- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Small-clawed Otter – 2007
4- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Small-clawed Otter – 2007
5- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – Small-clawed Otter – 2007
6- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
7- Lincoln Park Zoo - Illinois (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
8- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
9- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
10- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
11- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
12- Indianapolis Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
13- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
14- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
15- Georgia Aquarium (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
16- Zoo Atlanta (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
17- Monterey Bay Aquarium (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
18- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
19- Zoo Miami (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2008
20- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2010
21- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2010
22- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2010
23- Audubon Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2010
24- Houston Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2010
25- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2010
26- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2010
27- Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2011
28- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2011
29- Newport Aquarium (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2012
30- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2012
31- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2012
32- Sunset Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2012
33- Denver Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2012
34- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2013
35- World Aquarium (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2014
36- Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2015
37- SeaWorld San Antonio (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2015
38- Hillcrest Park Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2015
39- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2017
40- Sea Life Scheveningen (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
41- Landgoed Hoenderdaell (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
42- Van Blanckendaell Park (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
43- Familiepark Plaswijckpark (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
44- Faunapark Flakkee (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
45- Sea Life Blankenberge (Belgium) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
46- Lille Zoo (France) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
47- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
48- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
49- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
50- Aachener Zoo (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
51- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
52- Affen + Vogelpark Eckenhagen (Monkey/Bird Park) (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
53- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
54- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
55- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
56- Sea Life Oberhausen (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
57- Tiergehege Kaisergarten (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
58- Tiergarten Monchengladbach (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
59- BestZOO (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
60- Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
61- Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
62- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
63- ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
64- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
65- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
66- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
67- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
68- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
69- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
70- NaturZoo Rheine (Germany) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
71- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
72- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – Small-clawed Otter – 2019
73- Skaerup Zoo (Denmark) – Small-clawed Otter – 2022
74- Ree Park Safari (Denmark) – Small-clawed Otter – 2022
75- Munkholm Zoo (Denmark) – Small-clawed Otter – 2022
76- Jyllands Park Zoo (Denmark) – Small-clawed Otter – 2022
77- Randers Regnskov (Denmark) – Small-clawed Otter – 2022
78- Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) – Small-clawed Otter – 2022
79- Parken Zoo (Sweden) – Small-clawed Otter – 2022
80- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Small-clawed Otter – 2022
81- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2023
82- OdySea Aquarium (USA) – Small-clawed Otter – 2023

A memorable Short-clawed Otter exhibit can be found at Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA). This enclosure is closing in on 20 years of age but holds up incredibly well and the stream running through the enclosure is naturalistic and pleasant to view. It's a bit weird that all the trees have metal shields on them, because otters are surely not arboreal enough to climb to vast heights. They can scale trees, but I've only ever seen them ascend a couple of feet.

@Astrotom3000

When I first went to Indianapolis Zoo (USA), Small-clawed Otters were together with White-handed Gibbons in this enclosure.

Back in 2008, Monterey Bay Aquarium (USA) had Small-clawed Otters in their temporary Wild About Otters exhibit. Check out the cement tree!

Dallas Zoo (USA) has Otter Outpost with Small-clawed Otters in a spacious exhibit.

@geomorph

Back when I visited Newport Aquarium (USA) in 2012, they still had Small-clawed Otters in this exhibit that has now been converted into a stingray touch tank.

@geomorph

Just like the Newport example, it's fun to highlight exhibits that have been altered over the years. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) had Small-clawed Otters in 2012 but I believe that this is now a penguin exhibit.

This Small-clawed Otter exhibit at Hillcrest Park Zoo (USA) is like something you'd find in a neighbour's backyard.

The Dutch LOVE their small, active mammals such as Meerkats, Mongooses and Otters. I saw more than a dozen zoos just in the Netherlands with Small-clawed Otters. They are everywhere.

There was a half-dozen Small-clawed Otters at Van Blanckendaell Park (Netherlands) in a basic, typical exhibit.

Sea Life Blankenberge (Belgium) has a nicely 'manicured' Small-clawed Otter exhibit, with some tall trees and a very shallow pool. That 'lawn' is actually fake AstroTurf!

@Mr Gharial

Lille Zoo (France) has Small-clawed Otters in with Binturongs, while Pakawi Park (Belgium) has combined Small-clawed Otters with Black-and-White Lemurs (!!) in the past, and in 2019 had Small-clawed Otters in with Squirrel Monkeys. No worries about geographical accuracy!

@KevinB

Aachener Zoo (Germany) combines Small-clawed Otters with Northern Raccoons, while ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) has Sumatran Orangutans, Hanuman Langurs and Small-clawed Otters all together in a series of indoor and outdoor exhibits.

Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) has Small-clawed Otters in with Corsac Foxes and Sloth Bears, while ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) has Small-clawed Otters in with Red Pandas. This is that Dutch exhibit where the pandas can go over the Indiana Jones bridges above a section of the zoo's parking lot. Extraordinary.

@KevinB

Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) has Sumatran Orangutans and Small-clawed Otters together inside a giant retractable dome.

@twilighter

Here's a Bornean Orangutan and a Small-clawed Otter hanging out at Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany). This exhibit used to also combined Lion-tailed Macaques with the orangs and otters!

@RonBurrgundy

This is the visitor area surrounding the Small-clawed Otter exhibit at Ree Park Safari (Denmark). It's an immersive water play area for kids.

Small-clawed Otters are in with Red Pandas at Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden):

@JamesB

White-handed Gibbon/Small-clawed Otter exhibit at Parken Zoo (Sweden):

@Daniel Sörensen

Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) has 'gone European' and there's two exhibits where it's possible to mix Small-clawed Otters with Sloth Bears.

@Coelacanth18

Having a massive green lawn to ramble on, with real trees and grass, is phenomenal compared to the Small-clawed Otter exhibit at OdySea Aquarium (USA). It was built in the last decade, but is probably entirely mock-rock from start to finish and is all indoors with lightbulbs replacing sunshine. These kind of otter exhibits are very common, especially in the USA, but I'm beginning to wonder how long they will be acceptable in terms of animal welfare.

Otter Countdown:

North American River Otters - 115 zoos
Small-clawed Otters - 82 zoos
Next otter species - ??

 

[KevinB]

Currently the ASCO's at Pakawi are mixed with red ruffed lemurs, so the geographical inconsistency continues.

Two other Belgian zoos, Pairi Daiza and Planckendael, do keep ASCO's with Asian primates, Sumatran orangutans in both cases and at Planckendael also northern white-cheeked gibbons.

 

[NNM.]

I think I’ve seen Asian small-clawed otters more often than I have river otters, and I’ve seen some interesting exhibits.

Something worth noting is that Bronx Zoo has small-clawed otters in two completely separate parts of the zoo, one indoors in JungleWorld and one outdoors in the Children’s Zoo. I’ve heard they alternate between the two.





My favorite is the exhibit at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

 

[Panda_Fan]

I really can't see this animals the same way as I used to after the Bronx incident...

 

[birdsandbats]

While I agree mixed species exhibits with otters are far less common in North America than in Europe, I can still think of several examples I've seen of mixed species exhibits involving ASCO. In fact, this is the only otter species I've ever seen mixed in with another animal species.

 

[biggest_dreamer]

I kind of have to agree with this. Otters are cool animals and are fun to watch when they’re active, but the North American species is just everywhere in zoos over here. As you discussed, this is hardly surprising considering their educational value, size, and popularity (plus in the case of northern zoos, cold tolerance) but nonetheless their novelty begins to wear off. People on here complain about too many zoos having meerkats, but IMO NAROs are a much more nauseatingly common small carnivoran in a US context (although again, it’s understandable why so many places have them, especially compared to something like meerkats or even Asian small-clawed otters).

I agree with this, and I think part of it is that with meerkats, they’re mostly going to be found in traditional accredited zoos that feature non-native species (I believe I read that there aren't really any meerkats in the US outside of AZA? Certainly not many at least). But NAROs find themselves at home not only there, but also native specialists and nature centers, roadsides, safari parks, and aquariums. They’ve managed to stick their paws into basically every possible permutation of zoological facility that isn’t maybe something like a bird/herp/invert specialist facility, but even then I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to spot a NARO exhibit at one of those either.

And for transparency’s sake, I adore both meerkats and NAROs in a vacuum, but imagine if just a fraction of those spaces went to less commonly found species…

 

[PossumRoach]

I kind of have to agree with this. Otters are cool animals and are fun to watch when they’re active, but the North American species is just everywhere in zoos over here. As you discussed, this is hardly surprising considering their educational value, size, and popularity (plus in the case of northern zoos, cold tolerance) but nonetheless their novelty begins to wear off. People on here complain about too many zoos having meerkats, but IMO NAROs are a much more nauseatingly common small carnivoran in a US context (although again, it’s understandable why so many places have them, especially compared to something like meerkats or even Asian small-clawed otters).

Maybe it’s because I grew up outside the US plus my roster of zoo visits outside the US outnumber my US zoo visits but I never felt overwhelmed by NAROs. I am aware that they are all over the place since I hear about them from my friend group which mainly consists of red-blooded Americans. Now one might think maybe I might get overwhelmed by Eurasian otters since I am from the other side if the pond but that is not the case. I only have one memory of seeing them (ironically it’s at the worst country for zoo visits).

Now if we are talking about animals we are jaded about then for me it’s the red panda, or as I call them the little red menace. They are just in almost every accredited zoo sans the southern US. You know they are dominating the accredited zoo scene when those guys make it to accredited Turkish zoos while many animals don’t can’t. They also irritate me because they are kept all over in a certain country where zoos love to blame CITES/ Washington convention for their loss of diversity while still being able to get these red ragamuffins…

Edit: but if we are going to limit ourselves to otters then I find ASCOs more irritating than NAROS. I understand that NAROs have a “rescue value” which accredited zoos can relieve rescues and wildlife services by taking in native otters in need of a home. You can’t use that same argument for ASCOs easily. Which blows because AZA zoos could have used that space for ASCOs for spot-necked otters instead, coming up with central African exhibit with an extra spice. Alas running a zoo means hemorrhaging money thus the easy safe options are inevitable… especially in the US.

 

[birdsandbats]

Maybe it’s because I grew up outside the US plus my roster of zoos outside the US outnumber my US zoo visits but I never felt overwhelmed by NAROs. I am aware that they are all over the place since I hear about them from my friend group which mainly consists of red-blooded Americans. Now one might think maybe I might get overwhelmed by Eurasian otters since I am from the other side if the pond but that is not the case. I only have one memory of seeing them (ironically it’s at the worst country for zoo visits).

Now if we are talking about animals we are jaded about then for me it’s the red panda, or as I call them the little red menace. They are just in almost every accredited zoo sans the southern US. You know they are dominating the accredited zoo scene when those guys make it to accredited Turkish zoos while many animals don’t can’t. They also irritate me because they are kept all over in a certain country where zoos love to blame CITES/ Washington convention for their loss of diversity while still being able to get these red ragamuffins…

Chinese Red Pandas have even been making it into the private scene and roadside zoos here in the US over the last few years.

 

[PossumRoach]

Chinese Red Pandas have even been making it into the private scene and roadside zoos here in the US over the last few years.

Do you mean actual godawful roadside zoos or zoos that lost their accreditation and ZAA zoos with surprisingly great standing?

To my knowledge there are some unaccredited zoos in Japan that did get their hands on the little red menace. But the one that first comes to mind was one that lost is accreditation rather than getting them as surplus.

 

[biggest_dreamer]

I know the never-accredited Brights Zoo has at least one red panda off the top of my head. Granted, I'd say Brights isn’t what I think of when I consider a “true” roadside, but it does go to show that they’re out there. EDIT: Skimmed over your ZAA comment originally, that seems to account for Brights then.

But red pandas are certainly also in the American south. They’re in South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and I wouldn’t doubt various states in between. Unless you meant the southwest, which I’m less qualified to comment on off hand.

 

[birdsandbats]

Do you mean actual godawful roadside zoos or zoos that lost their accreditation and ZAA zoos with surprisingly great standing?

To my knowledge there are some unaccredited zoos in Japan that did get their hands on the little red menace. But the one that first comes to mind was one that lost is accreditation rather than getting them as surplus.

Are you counting Timbavati Wildlife Park as a "godawful roadside zoo"? They've certainly never been AZA or ZAA accredited or anywhere close to AZA standards.

 

[PossumRoach]

But red pandas are certainly also in the American south. They’re in South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and I wouldn’t doubt various states in between. Unless you meant the southwest, which I’m less qualified to comment on off hand.

When I first said southern US I mainly had Florida in mind. I didn’t have GA and SC in mind. But your post proves that these guys are everywhere. When I first heard of red pandas I thought they would be as rare as koalas and giant pandas. But that doesn’t seem to be the case which might be a factor in why red pandas just don’t impress me anymore.

Are you counting Timbavati Wildlife Park as a "godawful roadside zoo"? They've certainly never been AZA or ZAA accredited or anywhere close to AZA standards.

Well now. It would be foolish to deny Timbavati’s mediocre enclosures, some of which got featured on this thread, so I guess it would be a godawful. That must be an embarrassing slip up on AZAs part.

 

[birdsandbats]

Well now. It would be foolish to deny Timbavati’s mediocre enclosures, some of which got featured on this thread, so I guess it would be a godawful. That must be an embarrassing slip up on AZAs part.

Timbavati has been improving over the last few years. The gallery makes it look worse than it currently is, but I'm also not going to claim it's good. I'd compare it to Wildlife World.

 

[snowleopard]

The third most common otter species I've seen are Sea Otters at 15 zoos. Here's a species that can be viewed at only a small handful of European collections, but in my neck of the woods Sea Otters are creatures that I've seen on dozens of occasions.

I'll showcase, via photos, every exhibit on this list:

1- Vancouver Aquarium (Canada) – Sea Otter – 1986
2- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – Sea Otter – 2005
3- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Sea Otter – 2005
4- Monterey Bay Aquarium (USA) – Sea Otter – 2006
5- SeaWorld San Diego (USA) – Sea Otter – 2006
6- Seattle Aquarium (USA) – Sea Otter – 2006
7- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Sea Otter – 2008
8- Shedd Aquarium (USA) – Sea Otter – 2008
9- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – Sea Otter – 2008
10- Georgia Aquarium (USA) – Sea Otter – 2008
11- Oregon Coast Aquarium (USA) – Sea Otter – 2010
12- Aquarium of the Pacific (USA) – Sea Otter – 2011
13- New York Aquarium (USA) – Sea Otter – 2012
14- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (USA) – Sea Otter – 2012
15- Den Bla Planet Aquarium (Denmark) – Sea Otter – 2022

Having spent many years with a membership to Vancouver Aquarium (Canada) in the past, sometimes I have seen Sea Otters 10 times in one year at that facility. Even though there's often 5 or 6 Sea Otters at any one time, and they are usually a highlight of a visit, the two pools are not very large and they are a bit outdated these days. I think the exhibits were built around 45 years ago, and they serve their purpose as all the otters are rescued animals from dire situations, but an upgrade wouldn't be the worst idea.

Exhibit #1:

Exhibit #2:

Even smaller is this Sea Otter exhibit, also 40+ years old, at Point Defiance Zoo (USA). This enclosure is in the Rocky Shores section of the zoo and includes underwater viewing like every single Sea Otter exhibit I've ever seen.

Raising the bar substantially is the Sea Otter exhibit at Oregon Zoo (USA), with its Pacific Northwest theme and deep pool.

There's hardly a single photo in the ZooChat gallery of the Sea Otter exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium (USA), because it's in the central section of the facility and enormously popular with visitors. Also, it's a bit awkward in terms of viewing areas and often quite crowded. The bonus is that it's possible to see wild Sea Otters floating in the ocean right outside the aquarium!

SeaWorld San Diego (USA) had a spacious Sea Otter exhibit during my 2006 and 2011 visits, including a large pool.

Just like Vancouver Aquarium and Point Defiance Zoo, Seattle Aquarium (USA) has had Sea Otters for decades in puny exhibits that are 45 years old. Seattle has two small pools that are best described as '1970s architectural brutalism'. (Wilhelma would be proud )

Minnesota Zoo (USA) opened Russia's Grizzly Coast shortly before my first visit to this zoo in 2008 and the Sea Otter exhibit is fantastic.

Inside the cavernous Oceanarium at Shedd Aquarium (USA) is a Sea Otter exhibit (bottom left):

Much like the adjacent Polar Bear exhibit, Pittsburgh Zoo (USA) has a Sea Otter exhibit full of mock-rock in the Water's Edge complex. Nothing subtle here.

A small, all indoor Sea Otter exhibit can be found at Georgia Aquarium (USA):

@SwampDonkey

I much prefer the massive outdoor Sea Otter habitat at Oregon Coast Aquarium (USA), which held both the Southern and Northern subspecies during my last visit. This complex, along with the examples at Oregon Zoo and Minnesota Zoo, are my top 3 favourite Sea Otter exhibits.

Sea Otters with fish (Yellow Amberjack) at Aquarium of the Pacific (USA). I'm not sure that I'm much of a fan of seeing Sea Otters entirely indoors with artificial lighting, even though this is an aesthetically pleasing exhibit.

@Green_mamba

There are some substantial Sea Cliffs surrounding the Sea Otter exhibit at New York Aquarium (USA):

Here's arguably the tiniest Sea Otter exhibit I've ever seen and it doesn't even exist as the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (USA) phased out otters years ago. What's here now?

@geomorph

The 15th and final different facility where I've seen Sea Otters is the only one in Europe. Den Bla Planet Aquarium (Denmark) is often cited as one of that continent's top 5 aquariums, but the Sea Otter exhibit is simply okay. During my visit, the glare on the outdoor windows was so bad that it meant viewing was nearly impossible.

Otter Countdown:

North American River Otters - 115 zoos
Small-clawed Otters - 82 zoos
Sea Otters - 15 zoos

 

[SwampDonkey]

Here's arguably the tiniest Sea Otter exhibit I've ever seen and it doesn't even exist as the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (USA) phased out otters years ago. What's here now?

I believe it was completely removed in the recently completed renovation of the aquarium. Looking at old maps that show where it was compared to the aquarium now, it seems the space is just wall space, IIRC.

 

[evilmonkey239]

Detroit Zoo now exhibits sea otters in their Arctic Ring of Life. The exhibit is probably the largest I’ve ever seen for the species… because it’s a former seal enclosure.

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

I just want to ask you, do you have an order for what species families you are doing in what order?

 

[snowleopard]

The 4th most common otter species for me has been Giant Otters at 13 zoos. These guys are still quite rare in North American zoos, at less than a dozen current locations according to Zootierliste, but in Europe they are listed at more than double that total and 25 zoos. Seeing Giant Otters is always a thrill as they are enormous compared to their smaller peers.

It's interesting that 6 out of the first 7 zoos on this list are located in very warm climates, with only Philadelphia being the exception. Contrast that with the European zoos that are all in chilly environments but they have large, heated indoor tropical zones for their otters and visitors can enter those structures.

1- Emperor Valley Zoo (Trinidad & Tobago) – Giant Otter – 2008
2- Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Giant Otter – 2008
3- Zoo Miami (USA) – Giant Otter – 2008
4- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Giant Otter – 2010
5- Dallas World Aquarium (USA) – Giant Otter – 2010
6- Moody Gardens (USA) – Giant Otter – 2015
7- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Giant Otter – 2017
8- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Giant Otter – 2019
9- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Giant Otter – 2019
10- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Giant Otter – 2019
11- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Giant Otter – 2019
12- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Giant Otter – 2022
13- Parken Zoo (Sweden) – Giant Otter – 2022

The very first time I saw Giant Otters was at Emperor Valley Zoo (Trinidad & Tobago) in 2008. Two of the animals were kept in a small, netted enclosure that was barely adequate for the species.

My photo, taken in 2008 at Jacksonville Zoo (USA), is a bit blurry but it shows just how tall Giant Otters can be when they are upright.

I visited Zoo Miami (USA) on the opening day of Amazon & Beyond in 2008 and the Giant Otter exhibit was one of the highlights of the zoo. This is a stunning photo:

@geomorph

I next saw Giant Otters at Philadelphia Zoo (USA) in Carnivore Kingdom in 2010, although that area is now called Water is Life. Compared to Miami's naturalistic habitat, this one looks like a children's playground! Do the Giant Otters actually go cruising down that blue slide?

@blospz

It's all indoors and on the small side, like pretty much every single exhibit at Dallas World Aquarium (USA), but the Giant Otters do have a crashing waterfall in the background and so that's something to get excited about.

Surely a candidate for the largest North American zoo exhibit with Giant Otters, the enclosure at Moody Gardens (USA) has numerous vantage points.

Los Angeles Zoo (USA) apparently needs a $700 million U.S. (a BILLION dollars Canadian!) overhaul via a new Master Plan, but the Rainforest of the Americas complex is excellent and one of the highlights of the zoo.

@Julio C Castro

@Anteaterman

I then saw Giant Otters a half-dozen times in European zoos, as the species has gradually expanded its presence in captivity. Pairi Daiza (Belgium) had Giant Otters in a heavily themed exhibit in 2019, but if I'm not mistaken this enclosure now holds Smooth-coated Otters (a species I've never seen). At the time, I thought it was a bit tight for Giant Otters.

Dortmund Zoo (Germany) has a delightful Otter House and I saw exhibits for Giant Otters and Small-clawed Otters there in 2019.

@Saro

Duisburg Zoo (Germany) had Giant Otters in 2019 and their exhibit is found directly outside the famous Rio Negro tropical aquarium building.

@gulogulogulo

Giant Otter exhibit at Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany):

@FunkyGibbon

An impressive Giant Otter House devoted entirely to a single species is at Givskud Zoo (Denmark) and it's most impressive. There's at least 3 exhibits between the indoor and outdoor sections, continuing the trend of spacious animal habitats in Scandinavian zoos.

You can see two Giant Otters resting on a log in this large, nicely detailed exhibit at Parken Zoo (Sweden). When it's snowy and cold in a Swedish winter, the otters can retreat into their steamy, humid house with its 'algae-green' pools.

Otter Species:

North American River Otters - 115 zoos
Small-clawed Otters - 82 zoos
Sea Otters - 15 zoos
Giant Otters - 13 zoos

 

[biggest_dreamer]

I would’ve guessed giant otters over sea otters, but there again geographical bias comes out - Atlanta and a variety of Florida locations are all relatively nearby for me, but sea otters seem to be more common further north.

 

[PossumRoach]

I would’ve guessed giant otters over sea otters, but there again geographical bias comes out - Atlanta and a variety of Florida locations are all relatively nearby for me, but sea otters seem to be more common further north.

Chances are snowleopard went to many current giant otter holders before they acquired them. Roger Willams, Brevard, and Atlanta as you mentioned come to mind.