Steller's Sea Cow
Also known as: Hydrodamalis gigas, Great Northern Sea Cow
Hunted to extinction just 27 years after Western science discovered it, some believe pockets of this gentle giant survive in remote Arctic waters.
Discovered 1741, extinct by 1768, survival claims ongoing
Commander Islands, Bering Sea
Up to 9 meters long
Docile, slow-moving
Officially extinct, rare unverified sightings
The Lore
Steller's sea cow was a massive marine mammal, reaching up to 9 meters long and weighing several tons, discovered by European explorers in 1741 near the Commander Islands in the Bering Sea. By 1768, relentless hunting had driven it to extinction. However, scattered reports of large, unidentified marine animals in remote areas of the Bering Sea and Kamchatka coast have continued. In 1962, Soviet whalers reportedly observed a group of unusual, large animals matching sea cow descriptions near Cape Navarin. No confirmed evidence of surviving populations has been found.
Body Type
Folklore Origin
Notable Witnesses
- Georg Wilhelm Steller (naturalist, 1741)
- Soviet whalers (1962 report)
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