The otter project "Proyecto Lontra felina"is a genetic study led by Dr. Juan Valqui on the population of sea otters(Lontra felina) living on the coast of Peru.
Due to population declines in recent decades, which have led to low population numbers (200 to 700 individuals on the Peruvian coast), the world's smallest marine mammal is under strict protection (IUCN, CITES, CMS) and yet still suffers from a high degree of human influence.
The fieldwork for this study, which involves collecting sea otter fecal samples along a stretch of approximately 2,000 kilometers of rocky coastline, harbors, and several islands in Peru, is conducted using completely non-invasive methods. In the sea otter project, the samples are processed in the laboratories of the Zoological Institute at Kiel University (DNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing) and the resulting data is analyzed.
The findings on the genetic diversity and population structure of the sea otter are intended to provide the Peruvian authorities with sound arguments for decisions regarding coastal and species protection.
In cooperation with Pro Delphinus, workshops are organized in fishing villages during fieldwork. The participating schoolchildren—many of them future fishermen—learn about the importance of species and nature conservation.
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