Giant Otter

Pteronura brasiliensis

### Regions

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela

## Habitat

### Water Area

360 m² +60 m²/ea. add'l
144 m² +35 m²/ea. add'l

### Temperature

0 m²
10‒42 ℃

## Social

### Fem. Bachelor

2‒15 (up to 9 males, up to 9 females)
2‒9
2‒6

## Reproduction

### Sterility

2.5 years
Death

### Interbirth

2 months
12 months

## Taxonomy

### Order

Mammalia
Carnivora

### Genus

Mustelidae
Pteronura

The **Giant Otter** (*Pteronura brasiliensis*) is a large South American mustelid featured in the Aquatic Pack DLC for *Planet Zoo*.

## Zoopedia Description

### General

**Population in the Wild:** 5,000

The giant otter is a large semi-aquatic mammal that lives in the Amazon River basin and in the Pantanal wetlands in South America. Its thick, velvety brown fur has characteristic white markings around the neck. Giant otters have webbed legs and a long tail adapted for swimming. Males and females do not vary in size, which is usually between 150 and 180 cm long, but they do vary in weight: while males weigh between 26 and 32 kg, females, somewhat lighter, range between 22 and 26 kg.

The giant otter is threatened. In the past, especially in the 50s and 60s, it was hunted intensively for its fur, a problem that still exists today. However, the greatest risk facing giant otter populations today is the degradation and loss of their habitat due to deforestation and pollution of their waters.

### Social

Giant otters live in family groups made up of a dominant pair and their young, usually the litter from that year and the previous one. The bond within these groups is very strong and the individuals are very cooperative.

### Reproduction

During the days leading up to heat, the male and female perform game routines and chases. Once the bond is created and while the heat lasts, they will mate several times a day. Gestation lasts between 64 and 71 days, after which a litter of between 1 and 5 young will be born (although the average litter is 2). These are born blind and with gray fur. Their eyes open about 28 days after birth, and they can move independently around 50 days. Between 63 and 67 days they leave the burrow, at which time they will also swim for the first time. When the offspring reach sexual maturity, around 2 years of age, they begin to distance themselves from the family group or are violently expelled by the dominant partner. Young males and females will leave the group and family territory in search of another unmatched otter to settle in new territory and breed. Giant otters have the same mate all their lives and practice monogamy.

## Animal care

 FEEDING STATIONS
 FOOD ENRICHMENT
Underwater Box Feeder · Block of Frozen Fish
Bubble Machine · Cardboard Box · Gift Box · Small Ball · Small Ice Ball · Small Ball Colourful · Sprinkler · Water Jet · Water Jet Rock · Block of Ice · Mud Bath · Rubber Duck · Platform Floats · Submarine Buoy

## Trivia

### Zoopedia Fun Facts

* Giant otters are intelligent and can be trained
* The giant otter is the longest member of the weasel (mustelid) family
* The Indigenous Amazonian (Tupi) word for the giant otter is "ari'raña", which translates as "water jaguar"
* Giant otters have 9 different vocalizations that they use to communicate with their group members
* Giant otter groups spend large amounts of time grooming each other and build group cohesion

### Other Trivia

* The **Giant Otter** was the first musteloid added into the game, along with being the first otter.