The last known siting of a Japanese river otter in the wild occured in 1979 in Kōchi Prefecture.
Shortly after the news broke, Kemono Friends concept designer Mine Yoshizaki published a new piece of artwork depicting Small-clawed Otter playing while Japanese River Otter looks on.
This new siting occured in Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture, although scientists cannot yet determine whether or not the otter that was caught on camera is a Japanese river otter or some other subspecies.