Strategic Sampling of Eurasian Otter Spraints for Genetic Research in South Korea: Enhancing PCR Success and Data Accuracy.

Non-invasive genetic approaches, particularly using fecal samples, are commonly used to study endangered and elusive species, as they are easy to collect with minimal permission and cause little disturbance to the subject population. However, such studies face limitations due to poor DNA yield, which affects the overall utilization of collected samples and increases data errors. Here, we evaluated the impact of sample age and collection season on the performance of DNA extracted from feces (spraints) of the Eurasian otter (), a semi-aquatic apex predator in South Korean freshwater ecosystems.