Do otters like being watched? New research may reveal answer

By Stephen Beech

Otters "thrive" on being watched by zoo visitors, reveals new research.

While conservationists may may worry that crowds could stress the cute carnivores, the study shows that happy human onlookers may indeed be helping the mammals to flourish.

Researchers examined six Asian small-clawed otters at Adelaide Zoo in Australia over a six-month period to better understand how zoo visitors and staff influence the animals' behavior and vocalizations.

They observed the otters over 146 one-hour sessions, recording their activity, whether they made any sounds — including squeals, chirps, screams and barks — and whether visitors or zoo staff were nearby, compared with visitors alone.

The Adelaide University research team says their findings, published in the Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens, challenge assumptions that humans automatically have a negative impact on zoo animals.

Co-lead author Paige Klingner, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, said: "Our study found no evidence that visitors were associated with stress-related behaviors in these otters.

"Instead, we found the otters were generally more active and more visible when people were present.

"That raises the possibility that visitors may actually have a positive or enriching effect on their welfare, although more research is needed before we can say that with confidence."

While the otters were slightly more likely to make noises when people were around, the study did not identify the specific types of calls being made.

More from this section

+5

Do otters like being watched? New research may reveal answer

How many ice ages has the Earth had, and could humans live through one?

+5

Could a flu vaccine derived from yeast replace annual jabs?

Previous research has shown different vocalizations can signal anything from excitement and social interaction to stress.

Co-author Bridget Cooper-Rogers, also a Ph.D. candidate in Animal and Veterinary Sciences, explained that the team looked at whether the otters vocalized, rather than what they were saying.

She said: "The next step is to identify different call types to better understand whether particular vocalizations reflect positive experiences, anticipation or stress."

The findings show that the presence of zoo staff made little difference to the animals' vocalizations compared with visitors alone, despite suggestions that otters may respond differently to familiar keepers.

Asian small-clawed otters are listed as "vulnerable" in the wild and are among the most social and vocal members of the otter family.

Study senior author Eduardo Fernandez says the findings add to growing evidence that interactions between zoo animals and visitors are more complex than previously believed.

He said: "People often assume visitors are stressful for zoo animals, but that isn't necessarily the case."

However, Fernandez cautioned that the research was observational, meaning it cannot determine whether visitors made the otters more active, or whether active otters simply attracted larger crowds.

He added: "Future studies need to examine other factors such as feeding times, weather and different types of vocalizations so we can better understand what's really driving these behaviors."