作为顶级捕食者，水獭是很多淡水生态系统的健康指示种和保护旗舰种。我国的水獭种群在上世纪发生了大规模缩减，但针对水獭的研究和保护行动非常缺乏。青藏高原东南部是我国欧亚水獭的重要栖息地，在4000米海拔的河流中仍然有欧亚水獭分布，比欧洲的欧亚水獭分布上限高出近2000米。随着海拔上升，鱼类的多样性和生物量降低。同时，青藏高原上的居民多数信仰藏传佛教，部分地区鱼类放生活动非常普遍，可能极大地改变了当地河流中的生物群落，影响了水獭的食物可获得性。本项目拟在青藏高原东南部的三个地点开展欧亚水獭的食性和栖息地利用研究。应用DNA条形码技术研究欧亚水獭的食性，比较不同地点欧亚水獭的栖息地利用强度，探讨欧亚水獭对高海拔生境及鱼类放生活动的行为适应机制。本项目可为我国青藏高原独特的欧亚水獭高海拔种群的保护提供重要科学依据，为其它地区的水獭研究提供可参考的技术方案，也可为评估放生活动的生态影响提供案例。

As top predators, otters are considered as indicate species of healthy freshwater ecosystems, and flagship species for freshwater conservation. In China, otter populations declined dramatically during last century. However, few research projects on otters have been conducted. The southeastern part of Tibetan Plateau is an important habitat for Eurasian otters. Otters are found in rivers with an elevation at 4000 m within this region, being almost 2000 meters higher than the highest habitat of otters in Europe. Fish diversity and biomass decline as elevation rises. Furthermore, most people on the Plateau are Buddhists and fish release is widespread, which may dramatically alter local fish community and food availability to otters. We intend to study otter diet and habitat use at three sites on the Plateau. We will apply DNA barcoding to study otter diet and compare between study sites on otter habitat use. We intend to show how otters adapt behaviorally to high elevation and response to fish release. Our project will provide scientific data to guide conservation efforts on the unique otter population on the Plateau, as well as providing technical support for otter research in other regions, and a case study for evaluating the ecological impacts of fish release.