Australasian Asian Small-clawed Otter Population Introduction Australasia has a population of 70 otters held at 17 facilities. Most facilities hold non breeding groups of related otters. Though no inbreeding has occurred in recent years, there’s a high relatedness across the population: Wono and Jaya (deceased) have 29 direct living descendants. Perth Zoo imported two brothers, Doan and Tuan, from Denmark Zoo in 2011. They were paired with females, Boo (from the UK) and Asia (from the USA) respectively and have 23 living descendants between them. Paula, Paddy and Pia are siblings born 2010 at Frankfurt Zoo. These three females have all bred in the region and have 20 direct living descendants between them. Pocket and Emiko (deceased) have 19 direct living descendants. Harry and Odie were both imported 2019 from Singapore Zoo. I’m assuming they’re either a father and son or siblings. If so, they have 11 direct living descendants between them. Regional Population (2023) New Zealand: Auckland Zoo: 1.0 Arif (2019) Kanan x Takumi 1.0 Budi (2019) Kanan x Takumi 1.0 Agus (2020) Kanan x Takumi 1.0 Hendra (2020) Kanan x Takumi 1.0 Ika (2020) Kanan x Takumi Brooklands Zoo: 0.1 Akira (2019) Harry x Jafar 0.1 Luna (2019) Harry x Jafar 0.1 Rani (2019) Harry x Jafar 0.1 Katara (2020) Harry x Jafar 0.1 Suki (2020) Harry x Jafar Butterfly Creek: 0.1 Asia (2009) Imported 2011 (USA) 1.0 Mai (2013) Tuan x Asia 1.0 Yash (2013) Tuan x Asia 0.1 Charvi (2013) Tuan x Asia 0.1 Kiri (2013) Tuan x Asia Orana Wildlife Park: 1.0 Ikan (2018) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Bajak (2018) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Tiga (2018) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Siak (2018) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Tuk (2018) Cerdik x Paddy Wellington Zoo: 1.0 Eko (2012) Tuan x Asia 1.0 Si (2012) Tuan x Asia 1.0 Jambi (2013) Tuan x Asia 1.0 Bhutan (2013) Tuan x Asia Willowbank Wildlife Reserve: 0.1 Takumi (2015) Pocket x Emiko 0.1 Indah (2019) Kanan x Takumi 0.1 Dewi (2019) Kanan x Takumi 0.1 Mimpi (2020) Kanan x Takumi 0.1 Murni (2020) Kanan x Takumi Australia: Adelaide Zoo: 1.0 Bao (2012) Doan x Boo 0.1 Kalaya (2015) Juno x Jeta 1.0 Rama (2019) Bao x Kalaya 0.1 Mali (2019) Bao x Kalaya 1.0 Riann (2020) Bao x Kalaya 0.1 Mani (2020) Bao x Kalaya Australia Zoo: 1.0 Percival (2014) Pocket x Emiko 0.1 Daisy (2015) Pocket x Emiko Gorge Wildlife Park: 0.1 Isra (2013) Tuan x Asia 0.1 Tida (2013) Tuan x Asia Melbourne Zoo: 0.1 Paula (2010) Imported 2011 (Germany) 1.0 Odie (2017) Imported 2019 (Singapore) 1.0 Gunther (2020) Odie x Paula 1.0 Murphy (2020) Odie x Paula 1.0 Rodney (2020) Odie x Paula 0.1 Squid (2020) Odie x Paula Mogo Wildlife Park: 1.0 Bulan (2014) Pocket x Emiko 1.0 Ravi (2015) Pocket x Emiko National Zoo & Aquarium: 1.0 Bal (2012) Doan x Boo 0.1 Pai (2018) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Basil (2020) Bal x Pai 1.0 Chester (2020) Bal x Pai 0.1 Josey (2020) Bal x Pai Perth Zoo: 0.1 Paddy (2010) Imported 2011 (Germany) 1.0 Cerdik (2014) Juno x Jeta 1.0 Amir (2020) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Tom (2020) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Ulani (2020) Cerdik x Paddy 0.1 Botum (2020) Cerdik x Paddy Rockhampton Zoo: 0.1 Misumi (2015) Pocket x Emiko 1.0 Tomio (2018) Pocket x Emiko Sydney Zoo: 1.0 Intan (2017) Ketut x Pia 0.1 Saigon (2018) Cerdik x Paddy Taronga Zoo: 0.1 Pia (2010) Imported 2011 (Germany) 1.0 Ketut (2012) Tuan x Asia 0.1 Bel (2012) Doan x Boo 1.0 Saati (2018) Ketut x Pia Taronga Western Plains Zoo: 1.0 Harry (2014) Imported 2019 (Singapore) 0.1 Jafar (2015) Pocket x Emiko 1.0 Anng (2019) Harry x Jafar 1.0 Tai (2020) Harry x Jafar Total population: 40.30 otters
Thank you. Yes, that’s correct. Bel (2012) previously lived at Sydney Zoo, but was transferred to Taronga Zoo to form a pair with Saati (2018). I would assume this is a non breeding pair due to them being second cousins.
Odie was born in March 2017, and has three littermates. He (and his littermates) were unfortunately rejected at birth, and so were handraised. I'd assume Harry would be an older sibling rather than his father.
Thanks for that. I was thinking Harry (2014) was the father of Odie (2017), as transferring males out the group would allow a new male to be paired with Odie’s mother, but if Odie’s litter was handraised, that throws new light on it. Importing a father and son would be preferable from a genetic point of view to importing two full brothers; but it didn’t stop Perth from importing Doan and Tuan (brothers); or the import of Pia, Paula and Paddy (sisters), so Harry and Odie being brothers is certainly possible.
Interesting that no otters have been born in the past three years, which pair will likely breed next?
There has been a bit of a lull. Assuming no inbreeding will take place, only six facilities hold breeding pairs and we can likely discount three of those (Taronga, Melbourne and Perth) based on the age of their females - 13 years. This leaves Canberra, Dubbo and Adelaide; but due to the high level of relatedness, it wouldn't surprise me to see some imports instead of continued breeding. Either the import of new pairs or the imports of females to pair with reproductive aged founder males like Harry and Odie.
Halls Gap Zoo now hold otters: Halls Gap Zoo have joined as the 18th holder of Asian-small clawed otter in the region. As reported on their socials, they’ve acquired four females.
Update I’ve been made aware of a litter of 1.2 otters (born August 2019 at Perth Zoo) that was previously overlooked. The male was named Sawatdi; and the females named Bibi and Bulan. Sawatdi remains at Perth Zoo with his father and three brothers; while Bibi and Bulan recently transferred to Halls Gap Zoo, along with their mother and younger sister, Botum. The populations of these two zoos are therefore as follows: Perth Zoo: 1.0 Cerdik (2014) Juno x Jeta 1.0 Sawatdi (2019) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Amir (2020) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Tom (2020) Cerdik x Paddy 1.0 Ulani (2020) Cerdik x Paddy Halls Gap Zoo: 0.1 Paddy (2010) Imported 2010 0.1 Bibi (2019) Cerdik x Paddy 0.1 Bulan (2019) Cerdik x Paddy 0.1 Botum (2020) Cerdik x Paddy
I don't know which pair is on display and which isn't, but one of Taronga's two pairs of otters are housed off-display, in the former sun bear exhibit (pictured here in the 1990s when it housed Chester the white tiger): Chester the white tiger by Abbey posted 14 Jan 2023 at 3:42 PM I was under the impression that it must have been demolished when the African Savannah precinct was built; however, it remains in place and off-display (with keeper-only gates at the end of the path, preventing access behind the fennec fox exhibit) and houses two otters.
That’s interesting! The two pairs are: 0.1 Pia (2010) Imported 2011 (Germany) 1.0 Ketut (2012) Tuan x Asia 0.1 Bel (2012) Doan x Boo 1.0 Saati (2018) Ketut x Pia I assume it’s the older pair who are off display, but I could be wrong. Bel was previously housed at Sydney Zoo and then transferred over, so potentially she might not have adjusted to being on public display and was sent to Taronga to keep Saati happy.
Very interesting, nice find! Was this the old Snow Leopard enclosure? It's right behind the current Sun Bear enclosure? I've always only seen one pair in the Wild Asia exhibit so this makes sense. If I was to hazard a guess I'd assume Pia and Ketut are the ones who are in the Wild Asia exhibit of which they've been in for quite a while now.
This is the one right behind the current Sun Bear enclosure, correct. It wasn't the main old Snow Leopard enclosure, which was between the tigers and tahrs. That exhibit was demolished when Tiger Trek was built. But interestingly, my brother and I were looking at one of our old Taronga maps (from July 2010) the other day, and the exhibit now holding the off-display otters was in fact marked for snow leopard. So, I suspect a snow leopard may have been housed there at some stage, even though I don't remember it. I remember that exhibit, when it housed sun bear, alternating between sun bear and the female dholes (mother and daughter) for a little while, presuming for the contraceptive purpose of separating the daughter dhole from her father (with whom she was later exported, allowing him to breed with an unrelated female).
There’s an article here about the Snow leopard siblings (Sabu and Kamala) temporarily occupying the old sun bear exhibit: Snow Leopards and Sun Bears They (and the breeding pair) were later transferred to Billabong.
From my visit to Melbourne today I found out that Melbourne only has five otters now. Not sure what's happened to one of them; they definitely had all six as of a few months ago. It's possible Odie's been sent away (being a valuable male), but I did witness a male and female mating (which looked like Odie and Paula but I can't be certain).
It’s possible Paula has passed on. They typically live 10-16 years in captivity and while Auckland Zoo had a pair that reached 16 years, few otters in the region have attained this age. The removal of her (or Odie) would lead to a new pair establishing dominance within the group - either a parent/sibling or two of the siblings. I’ve heard otters prefer same age mates, but there’s been many pairings (including several in the above list) that refute that. There were seven years between Odie and Paula!
I was thinking the same re. Paula. Hopefully that's not the case, but she would've been twelve years of age this year. Her previous mate, Oscar, also lived until the age of 16 and I would've hoped she would've achieved that age too (assuming she has indeed passed). It's also possible their daughter, Squid has been transferred to another facility for breeding (as she is a very valuable female). It's hard to tell now as all five otters looked of similar size, but the male definitely seemed to be bigger than the female he was mating with. Not sure if Paula would be bigger than Odie being much older?
If Paula is still alive, it’s more than possible Squid has been transferred out. As the daughter of two founders, she’d be in demand for breeding and there’s a number of matches within Australia including one of the young males at Adelaide. Male Asian small-clawed otters are slightly bigger than females. Sexual maturity is reached around 18 months, with both sexes reaching full size by 2-3 years, so I’d expect Odie to be bigger than Paula.
Melbourne Zoo update: Squid has indeed been transferred out and and as a genetically valuable female, will hopefully breed in her new home. My friend didn’t know which zoo she was transferred to, but at least we have confirmation all six otters (including Paula) are alive and well. I’d assess a pairing with one of the young males at Adelaide to be the best match (genetically and demographically); along with one of the four sons of Pocket and Emiko. These four males are currently housed in non-breeding pairs that I wouldn’t anticipate to see disrupted.
I thought that was the case as I was fairly sure it was Odie and Paula breeding. Hopefully new babies soon (although I imagine Paula may be a tad too old now) . With Perth sending their girls over to Halls Gap, it may also be possible that Squid was sent to there to form a breeding pair with one of the remaining males.
