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 collapses in recent decades, which have led to low population numbers (200 to 700 individuals of otters on the Peruvian coast), the smallest marine mammal in the world is under strict protection(IUCN, CITES, CMS) and still suffers from a high degree of human impact.
The field work of this study, in which sea otter faecal samples are collected from rocky coastlines, harbors and some islands in Peru over a distance of approximately 2000 kilometers, is carried out using completely non-invasive means. In the sea otter project, the samples are processed in the laboratories of the Zoological Institute of Kiel University (DNA extraction, amplification and sequencing) and the resulting data analyzed.
The results on the genetic diversity and population structure of the sea otter should provide the Peruvian authorities with well-founded arguments in their decisions on coastal and species protection.
In collaboration with Pro Delphinus, workshops are organized in fishing villages during the field work. The participating schoolchildren - many of them future fishermen - learn about the need to protect species and nature in this way.
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