Skip to main content.  Smithsonian National Museum of Natural
History  Department of Anthropology  Arctic Studies Center
Steller’s Sea Cow: The Sole Arctic/Subarctic Extinction
 There is a plethora of research documenting the rapid
fluctuations of large mammal populations in the Arctic and
Subarctic region. While certain local populations of animals
have become extirpated, there is only one species that has
become extinct entirely: Steller’s sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas).
                Steller’s sea cow was an aquatic herbivorous
mammal that grew to a size of around 30 feet and a weight of
eight to ten tons. It was an enormous but docile relative of
modern day manatees and dugongs and is considered one of the
largest mammals in modern history outside of the great whales
(Marsh, et al, 2012). Due to its tremendous size,  slow and
docile nature, and inability to completely submerge, Steller’s
sea cow was an easily hunted and exploited target  for both
Aleut and 18th century promyshlenniki –Ru