Steller's Sea Cow

Steller's Sea Cow 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 killed for its meat and leather. It could way up to 11,000 kilograms. The Steller'sThe meat of the sea cow, which was most often referred to as being similar to veal, remained fresh for much longer than any other available meat source, making it extremely valuable to the Russian sailors and hunters.Although Bering's crew only killed their first sea cow six weeks before their escape in August 1742, the meat was crucial in restoring their strength during the final stages of building a new boat from the wreckage of the St. Peter. When they left, they took a supply of meat and fat, and stories of the incredible riches of the islands for fur hunters. Those hunters flocked to the area, and in 1768, explorer Martin Sauer entered in his journal an account of the death of the last known sea cow.
(Extinct since 1754)