Steller’s sea cow, an enormous and gentle herbivore, once grazed in the northern Pacific waters. Ultimately though, it succumbed to extinction in 1768. These voracious herbivores are famous not only for their size, but their gentle nature as well. Their friendly disposition endears them to all who meet them. The sea cow’s story is not just a tale of a lost species; it reflects humanity’s impact on the natural world. UN Environment Programme Author Iida Turpeinen plunges headlong into this surreal story in her new novel. She traces the sad story of sea cows’ demise, as well as their community life and encounters with manatees and their relatives.
Steller’s sea cows were extraordinary creatures, indeed. They were able to grow up to 30 feet long and weigh an incredible 3,000 pounds! Herbivorous and docile, these giants were likely a serene addition to their surroundings. They flourished while feeding on a diet rich in seagrass and other aquatic vegetation, grazing in the icy waters at their own pace. Besides being the largest land herbivores on Earth, these marine giants were incredibly social animals, with strong herding instincts. They frequently stroked one another’s bodies or kissed each other on the mouth and cheeks. They cradled their babies, mama-carrying in unbreakable matrilineal lines.
According to Turpeinen, “According to the few accounts we have, they loved to caress and touch each other, and hold their little ones.” This feeling reveals the emotional complexity of these beings that so often gets lost when talking about extinction. Their social nature – they lived in groups of hundreds or thousands – probably made them more vulnerable. Through their habit of congregating in groups, they were prime targets for hunters.
The sad fate of the sea cow was not only caused by direct human actions, but inspired by them. Overhunting quickly wiped out their populations, resulting in extinction within only 27 years after being discovered by humans. The final confirmed sighting was in 1768. This was the extinction of an animal that had been patrolling the oceans since before the rise of the dinosaurs. The sea cow’s extinction is a harbinger of what’s possible and our collective failure to protect wildlife and ecosystems from our actions.
Turpeinen’s stunningly illustrated novel perfectly evokes this spirit, bringing to life the connection between sea cows and the people who loved them first. An illustration featured in the book depicts these gentle giants alongside humans in a canoe, emphasizing the coexistence that once flourished. This relationship soon became fatal as humans hunted the gentle sea cows for their meat and hides.