The tragic, rapid disappearance of a gentle giant in the Bering Strait
In short: While the Dodo is often cited as the primary example of human-caused extinction, the Steller's Sea Cow suffered a far more brutal and swift demise. This video explores the history of this docile marine mammal, which vanished almost immediately after its discovery.
The Steller's Sea Cow was a large, gentle marine mammal native to the cold waters of the Bering Strait. First encountered by humans in 1741, the species was hunted to extinction with alarming speed.
This rapid loss stands out even when compared to the Dodo, which became extinct roughly sixty years after Dutch sailors first arrived on Mauritius in 1598. The Dodo's disappearance was so sudden that its existence was doubted by the scientific community for over a century.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Mermaids and the Bizarre Tale of One of the Fastest Extinctions in Modern History
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