Steller's Sea Cow
Steller's Sea Cow (*Hydrodamalis gigas*) was a massive aquatic mammal that inhabited nearshore areas of the Komandor islands in the Bering sea. Steller's sea cow were wiped out by hunter's in 18th century, in just less than 30 years of them being discovered by arctic exporers.(Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2024, para. 1).
They weighed up to 10 meteric tons and measuring about 9-10 meters (30 feet) in length, Steller's Sea Cow had a small head and a broad horizontal forked tail fluke. they have small stumpy flippers near the front of the body, to move on rocky areas. It fed on kelp and seaweed nearr the ocean surface.
The sea cows were used to supply the seal hunters for meat, and killing them was often wasteful.in 1768 they were exterminated, giving a dramatic example of vulnerability of some isolated species.(Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2024, para. 2).
reference - Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2024, November 7). Steller’s sea cow. In Encyclopaedia Britannica.https://www.britannica.com/animal/sea-cow