Throughout the centuries-old existence of our planet, many species of plants and animals have appeared and disappeared. Some of them died out due to adverse living conditions, climate change, etc., but most died at the hands of man. The Steller’s cow, or rather the history of its extermination, became a vivid example of human cruelty and shortsightedness, because at the speed with which this mammal was destroyed, not a single living creature on earth was destroyed.
It is assumed that the largest cow existed many millennia ago. At one time, its habitat covered most of the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, the animal was found near the Commander and Aleutian islands, Japan, Sakhalin, and Kamchatka. To the north of manati could not live, because it needed warmer waters, and to the south it was destroyed thousands of years ago. After the melting of the glaciers, the sea level rose, and the Steller’s cow was assigned from the continents to the islands, which allowed it to survive until the XVIII century, when the Commander Islands were inhabited by people.
The animal is named after the encyclopedic scientist Steller, who discovered this species in 1741. The mammal was very calm, harmless and friendly. Its weight was about 5 tons, and the body length reached 8 m. Cow fat was especially valued, its thickness was the width of a human hand, it had a rather pleasant taste and did not deteriorate completely even in the heat. The meat resembled beef, only a little denser, he attributed healing properties. The hide was used for boat upholstery.
The Steller’s cow died due to its gullibility and excessive philanthropy. She constantly ate algae, therefore, floating near the shore, kept her head under water, and the body on top. Therefore, you could safely swim to her on a boat and even stroke. If the animal was hurt, then it sailed from the shore, but soon returned again, forgetting past grievances.
About 30 people were hunted for cows at once, because the unfortunates rested, and it was difficult to pull them ashore. When injured, the mammal breathed heavily and moaned, if relatives were nearby, they tried to help, turned the boat over and beat their tails on the rope. Sad as it may seem, the Steller’s cow was destroyed in less than three decades since the discovery of the species. Already in 1768 the last representative of this good-natured marine inhabitant disappeared.
Between scientists today, disputes continue about the habitat of this mammal. Some argue that the Steller cows lived only near the islands of Bronny and Bering, while others are inclined to think that they also met in the region of Alaska and the Far East. But there is not so much evidence of the second assumption, these are either corpses thrown out by the sea, or speculations of local residents. But still the skeleton of a cow was discovered on the island of Attu.
Be that as it may, the Steller’s cow was exterminated by man. From the detachment of sirens today there are still manatees and dugongs, but they are also on the verge of extinction. Constant poaching, water pollution, changes in the natural habitat, fatal injuries from ships - all this every year reduces the number of these wonderful animals.
