Pictures and facts about the Steller's sea cow

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Steller's sea cow

Order : Sirenia
Family : Dugongidae
Species : Hydrodamalis gigas

Steller's Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) is an extinct mammal from the order Sirenia in the animal kingdom, which also includes the manatee and dugong. It got its name from the man who discovered it, Georg Steller. The Steller's Sea Cow was hunted to extinction in the 18th century, only 30 years after its discovery. It was slaughtered for its meat and leather. It could way up to 11,000 kilograms. The Steller's sea cow did not have any teeth and did not need to, as it ate algae and sea grass. Herds included juveniles, as well as adult males and females. Juveniles were kept in the center of the herd to protect them. Steller (its discoverer) noted that the animal was monogamous and the pair bond was quite strong. He also noted that the sea cow could only be submerged for about four to five minutes. This makes the sea cow an easy target for hunters.

From wikipedia on the Steller's sea cow: "There are still sporadic reports of sea cow-like animals from the Bering area, the Arctic, and Greenland, so it has been suggested that small populations of the animal may have survived to the present day. This remains so far unproven."

The thumbnail of the Steller's sea cow is not quite clear, Click here for a larger version of the drawing of a Stellar's Sea Cow circa mid 18th century.

Facts about the Steller's sea cow

(Zimmermann, 1780) </table> Steller's Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) is an extinct large sirenian mammal formerly found near Asiatic coast of the Bering Sea.

Steller S Sea Cow Steller's Sea Cow Steller's Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) is an Vitus Bering.

Thus Steller's sea cow is a recent Alaska mammal in at least the popular imagination.

Steller's Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) is an extinct large sirenian mammal formerly found near the Asiatic coast of the Bering Sea. (Full text)

[Source] Description Stellers' Sea Cow or Northern Manatee, Hydrodamalis gigas, is an extinct (Full text)

I think that the disappearing of Steller’s seacow is one of the most interesting mysteries of zoology. (Full text)

Steller's Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) is an extinct large sirenian mammal formerly found near Asiatic coast of the Bering Sea. (Full text)

No marine mammals are known to have become extinct since the passage of the MMPA and ESA, however, at least one species, the Steller's sea cow, is known to have gone extinct. (Full text)

Zimmermann, 1780) |} Steller's Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) is an extinct large sirenian mammal formerly found near the Asiatic coast of the Bering Sea. (Full text)

Steller's sea cow is named after the naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller. (Full text)

Unfortunately, the Steller's sea cow is extinct. (Full text)

Steller's sea cow, Hydrodamalis gigas, is also in the family Dugongidae, but the species was extirpated by humans in 1768 just 27 years after it's discovery in the North Pacific (Stejneger 1887). (Full text)

Although there are only three manatee and one dugong species living today, a fifth species - the extinct Steller’s sea cow, is usually included when we talk about modern sirenians. (Full text)

This Sketch of Steller's sea cow is from the journal of Sven Waxell, "Kamchatka Expedition 1741-1742"; source: The American Expedition by Sven Waxell 1952. (Full text)

Steller's sea cows are related to dugongs, and more distantly to manatees. (Full text)

Kelp Forests Steller's sea cows are now extinct. (Full text)

The Steller's sea cow is extinct. (Full text)