2011: Bering Sea. Aleutians Islands - Kamtchatka.
In 1741, a young German naturalist named Georg Wilhelm Steller embarked on the St. Peter, the flag ship of Vitus Bering. During this expedition, which lasted over 8 months, Joseph Steller discovered numerous new species and gave a detailed account of an hitherto unknown species called the Steller Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas). The discovery of numerous fossils indicate that sea cows were found, before the arrival of man, all around the North Pacific rim, from Mexico to the Aleutian islands and all the way to Japan. The sea cow could be as long as 24 feet and weigh almost 11 tons, which meant it was much larger than its relatives, the manatee and the dugong. It looked somewhat like a giant seal, but its tail flipper was close to that of a whale. The sea cow, which produced a reputedly delicious milk, and from which fat, oil and high quality meat were also obtained, was mercilessly hunted by sailors, hunters and fur traders. Its fat was used for food but also for a pure lamp oil without smell or smoke. When the animal was discovered, the sea cow population was already diminished and its geographical distribution limited. Its very placid temper, its very long pregnancy and its sloveness proved to be fatal to the sea cow, which rapidly disappeared. In the space of only 27 years, the entire population (around 2,000 individuals) was massacred. However, there are many witnesses who say they have seen sea cows since, which would lead to surmise that small groups might have survived. Has it really vanished? Or did it find refuge in an unknown location to protect itself from man’s greed? Testimonies (gathered from the Internet) 1926: the Norwegian oceanographer Harald Ulrik Sverdrup recounts in the account of his expeditions in the Arctic seas that a Russian would have told him about seeing the Steller sea cow. Around 1960: Ivan Skripkin tells of seeing Steller sea cows for many years. July 1962: the Soviet whaler “The Buran” observes at about 300 feet from the ship, around Cape Navarin, half a dozen marine mammals, about 18 to 24 ft long. They swim by raising above water in a very particular way. The cleft on their mouth is remindful of the sea cow. 1977: fishermen discover in Anapstingskaga Bay the beached remains of a black-skinned marine mammal, with pectoral fins and a whale-like tail. Spring 1984: the skeleton of a sea cow is discovered on the shore of a North Pacific rim island.
Steller Sea Cow
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