Interactions with humans Steller's sea cow

1 interactions humans

1.1 extinction

1.1.1 interactions europeans
1.1.2 interaction aboriginals


1.2 later reported sightings
1.3 commercial value
1.4 portrayals in media

interactions humans
extinction
interactions europeans

1966 soviet postage stamp depicting bering s second voyage , discovery of commander islands

steller s sea cow wiped out fur traders, seal hunters, , others followed vitus bering s route past habitat alaska. hunted collect valuable subcutaneous fat. 1768, twenty-seven years after had been discovered europeans, species extinct. in 1887 stejneger estimated there had been fewer 1,500 individuals remaining @ time of steller s discovery, , argued there immediate danger of sea cow s extinction.

the first attempt hunt animal steller , other crew members unsuccessful due strength , thick hide. had attempted impale , haul shore using large hook , heavy cable, crew not pierce skin. in second attempt month later harpooner speared animal, , men on shore hauled in while others repeatedly stabbed bayonets. dragged shallow waters, , crew waited until tide receded , beached butcher it. after this, hunted relative ease, challenge being in hauling animal shore. bounty inspired maritime fur traders detour commander islands , restock food supplies during north pacific expeditions.

interaction aboriginals

sea otters keystone species , keep sea urchin populations in check. depopulation in aleutian islands may have led decline of kelp , subsequently of sea cows.

the presence of steller s sea cows in aleutian islands may have caused aleut people migrate westward hunt them. possibly led sea cow s extinction in area, assuming animals survived in region holocene epoch, there no archaeological evidence.

it has been argued decline of steller s sea cow may have been indirect effect of harvesting of sea otters area s aboriginal people. otter population reduced, sea urchin population have increased, in turn reducing stock of kelp, principal food. in historic times, though, aboriginal hunting had depleted sea otter populations in localized areas, , sea cow have been easy prey aboriginal hunters, accessible populations may have been exterminated or without simultaneous otter hunting. in event, range of sea cow limited coastal areas off uninhabited islands time bering arrived, , animal endangered.

one factor potentially leading extinction of steller s sea cow, off coast of st. lawrence island, siberian yupik people have inhabited st. lawrence island 2,000 years. may have hunted sea cows extinction, natives have dietary culture heavily dependent upon marine mammals. onset of medieval warm period reduced availability of kelp may have been cause extirpation in area.

later reported sightings

sea cow sightings have been reported after official 1768 date of extinction. according lucien turner, american ethnologist , naturalist, natives of attu island reported sea cows survived 1800s, , hunted. sighting report made passenger on kruzenshtern s world voyage between 1803 , 1806, near nordenskiöld archipelago.

in 1963 official journal of ussr s academy of sciences published article announcing possible sighting. previous year whaling ship buran had reported group of large marine mammals grazing on seaweed in shallow water off kamchatka, in gulf of anadyr. crew reported seeing 6 of these animals ranging 6 8 meters (20 26 ft), trunks , split lips. there have been alleged sightings local fishermen in northern kuril islands, , around kamchatka , chukchi peninsulas. these sightings may have been mistaken identifications of extant arctic marine mammals such narwhal (monodon monoceros) , northern elephant seal (mirounga angustirostris).

commercial value

steller s sea cow described being tasty steller; meat said have taste similar corned beef, though tougher, redder, , needed cooked longer. meat abundant on animal, , slow spoil, perhaps due high amount of salt in animal s diet curing it. fat used cooking , odorless lamp oil. thick, sweet milk of female sea cows drunk or made butter, , thick, leathery hide used make clothing such shoes , belts , large skin boats called baidarkas or umiaks.

towards end of 19th century, bones , fossils extinct animal valuable , sold museums high prices. collected during time, limiting trade after 1900. still sold commercially, highly dense cortical bones well-suited making items such knife handles , decorative carvings. because sea cow extinct, native artisan products made in alaska mermaid ivory legal sell in united states , not fall under jurisdiction of marine mammal protection act (mmpa) or convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna , flora (cites), restrict trade of marine mammal products. although distribution legal, sale of unfossilized bones prohibited , trade in products made of bones regulated because of material unlikely authentic , comes other arctic cetaceans.

portrayals in media

kotick white seal talking sea cows in rudyard kipling s jungle book (1895)

in story white seal jungle book rudyard kipling, takes place in bering sea, kotick rare white seal consults sea cow during journey find new home.

tales of sea cow 2012 film icelandic-french artist etienne de france documenting fictional 2006 re-discovery of population of steller s sea cows off coast of greenland. film has been exhibited in art museums , universities in europe.

steller s sea cows appear in 2 books of poetry: nach der natur (1995) winfried georg sebald, , species evanescens (2009) russian poet andrei bronnikov. bronnikov s book depicts events of great northern expedition through eyes of steller; sebald s book looks @ conflict between man , nature, including extinction of steller s sea cow.