Dallas World Aquarium Giant otters

The following interview was conducted with Dallas World Aquarium’s otter keeper, Natalie Lindholm regarding their Lobo Del Rio exhibit featuring Giant River Otters.

 

by Diane Tomecek

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Q:  How long have you had the exhibit, Lobo Del Rio, at the Dallas World Aquarium?
A:  Lobo Del Rio has been in existence for approximately 8 years (original interview conducted in 2007; existence dates were updated to post here).  It was previously the Jaguar exhibit, which, of course, had panes of acrylic completely enclosing the exhibit at that time.

Q: Why do you refer to the exhibit as Lobo Del Rio?
A: Giant River Otters are sometimes called “Wolves of the River” [or Lobo del Rio (in Spanish)] due to their habit of roving around in large packs.

Q:  What can visitors expect when visiting the Lobo Del Rio exhibit? 
A:  11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. are feeding times, and they are usually active about forty-five minutes prior to the feedings.  They will remain active for about twenty minutes post-feeding, and then will retreat to one of several dens located within the exhibit.

Q:  How would you describe a typical experience there?
A:  If folks come along when the otters are napping or off-exhibit, there will not be much to see.  In contrast, if the visitors are there in the moments before the feedings, they will get to see the otters swimming and vocalizing.  They are actually looking for the keepers to come along, but the public usually thinks they are interacting with them.  Anyway, they put on a good show at those times.

Q:  How many Giant River Otters does the Dallas World Aquarium have? 
A:  We have 1.1, or a male and a female, an unrelated pair.

Q: Can you tell me a bit about the otter(s) you have there?

A: Both otters are somewhere in the neighborhood of five and a half to six years old.  The female is noticeably larger than the male, and I would guess they weigh around sixty to sixty-five pounds.

Q:  I have heard that similar to the spots on a tiger’s ears, the Giant River Otter’s neck pattern is unique to each animal.  Is this true?
A:  The female has a lighter complexion, with a large bib - white patch on her throat.  The male is the typical seal brown color, and his bib consists of a white chin and small spot.  In my conservation talk, I mention that, like a giraffe’s spots or zebra’s stripes, no two bibs are the same, and that field researchers use the bib to identify animals in the wild.

Q:  Do you do any breeding of the otter(s) at the aquarium?
A:  As I tell the public: “They have the breeding part down, it’s the conceiving that is not happening.”  We have sent fecal samples to the Cincinnati Zoo’s research department, CREW, to analyze the hormone levels.  We have seen fluctuating levels of the various hormones, but no definite pregnancies.

Q: What do you feel are the leading issues facing the Giant River Otter and its conservation?
A:  Habitat loss, over-use by man of fishing areas and continued poaching for pelts.

Q:  What does Dallas World Aquarium do to respond to the issues mentioned above?
A:  We support conservation programs in Venezuela.  In particular to the Giant River Otter, we have a comprehensive education program conducted in local communities in Venezuela.  A Venezuelan biologist by the name of Ana Carolina Saavedra has worked closely with schools in the villages and communities where illegal capture of Giant River Otters is most prevalent.  Information distributed to local people emphasizes the importance of Giant River Otters to the local ecosystem and the degradation of the ecosystem should the number of otters there continue to decline. 

Q:  How can people help the plight of the Giant River Otter?
A:  Support conservation efforts aimed at Giant River Otter habitat and study.  Be aware of what they buy and how it impacts the environment.