Taxonomic status of otter species in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park, Lao PDR, based on DNA evidence.

ABSTRACT: Otter populations are threatened by habitat loss, pollution, conflicts with humans, and illegal wildlife trade to meet the demand for pets, for their fur, and for parts used in traditional medicines. Baseline information on the distribution, population genetic diversity, and connectivity is crucial to inform conservation management decisions; however, reliable data from otter populations in Southeast Asia remain scarce. In this study, we conducted baseline otter fecal DNA surveys based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to identify species, assess the occurrence, and map the spatial distribution of genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships of otter populations using 1700 bp Cytochrome B - Control Region and mitogenome from Nakai-Nam Theun National Park in the Annamite Mountains of

SUBMITTER: Coudrat CNZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9771668 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature