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Dugong and Sea Cow: Dugongidae

Conservation Status

The sea cow is Extinct, no longer exists, and the dugong is Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction in the wild, primarily due to habitat destruction and human activities such as recreational boating and fishing. In 2004, the largest dugong population was located in Australia.

HERE AND GONE IN THIRTY

Georg Wilhelm Steller, a naturalist and physician, recorded the first descriptions of the sea cow while at sea. His physical measurements and descriptions of anatomy allowed scientists to reconstruct the sea cow's skeleton, though it is unlikely that the reconstruction is 100 percent accurate.

Steller went home with his reports as well as samples of the meat and almond-tasting fat. Hunters flocked to Kamchatka, Russia, the location of Steller's discovery, where they quickly destroyed the sea cow population.

Steller discovered the sea cow in 1741, and in 1768, explorer Martin Sauer recorded the death of the last known sea cow.

Additional topics

Animal Life ResourceMammalsDugong and Sea Cow: Dugongidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Conservation Status, Steller's Sea Cow (hydrodamalis Gigas): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, SEA COWS DUGONGS AND PEOPLE