The Japanese otters were once plentiful across most of Japan. Historically, these otters could be found in most places, even in Tokyo. They were sometimes hunted for their fur or for their livers, which the Japanese used as a medicine to treat tuberculosis. It wasn’t until the Meiji Period which started in 1868, that the Japanese otter faced any intense pressure. During the Meiji period, Japan started trading with outside nations. The fur trade was in full swing during this time. Around the world animal fur was an economic driver. Hunters started targeting the Japanese otters throughout this time. Japan did put hunting regulations in place after the severe decline in the otter’s population. The Japanese otter was deemed a “special natural treasure of Japan” in 1965. The otters were able to rebound slightly during this time, but ultimately they could not compete with the habitat alterations and the decline in its food sources due to urbanization. The otters were also killed by dogs and by cars while crossing the roads. The last confirmed sighting of a Japanese otter was in the Kochi Prefecture in 1979. There have been many hopeful signs that the Japanese otters still exist. Excrement found in 1994 & 1995 turned out to be from a raccoon dog. In 2009, 2014, and as recently as February 2017 wild otters have been seen, even on camera. Those otters were confirmed to be Eurasian otters that have started to move into the void left by the extinction of the Japanese otters. Although Jurassic Park is fiction, scientists are working on several de-extinction projects. In fact, in 2003 scientists did bring back the extinct Pyrenean ibex, a type of wild goat, for 7 minutes before it died, showing de-extinction is possible. The Japanese otter might be a good candidate. Scientists would potentially use DNA from the same museum specimens they used to test its genetics to confirm its unique species status in 2019. If the Japanese otter was brought back from extinction could it survive in the waters of Japan today?