The Java stingaree was first formally observed by science in 1864 when Eduard von Martens, a German scientist, published his findings of a unique specimen he collected in a Jakarta fish market in July of 1862. He named his new species Trygonoptera javanica. It was later renamed Urolophus javanicus. That specimen was a female of unknown age. Because it was never observed by science in the wild or while alive, its behavior, life cycle, and habitat preferences can only be speculated upon. Many stingaree species are aplacental viviparous, which means the eggs hatch inside the female and they give live birth to a smaller litter. It is thought that habitat degradation and overfishing were the likely causes of its extinction. 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 Java stingaree might be a candidate for this if scientists could collect DNA from the only preserved female specimen collected in 1862. The population of Java is 145 million with 10.5 million living in Jakarta. The waters off the coast of Java are still at risk of being overfished and the habitat is still highly at risk. Although there are some conservation efforts in the area, the effect of human development continues to be a major concern. The Javan tiger was rediscovered in March of 2024 sparking renewed conservation efforts on land. Hopefully, new regulations can find a good balance between feeding a growing population and protecting Java’s unique wildlife on the land and in the water. If the Java stingaree was brought to life, could it ever be reintroduced to its native homeland off the coast of Jakarta in Indonesia?