Steller's sea cow, discovered in the Bering Sea in 1741, was a massive marine mammal that was hunted to extinction by Russian fur traders within 27 years. This extinction serves as a cautionary tale about the impact of human exploitation on wildlife and ecosystems. The loss of Steller's sea cow highlights the importance of conservation efforts and the need to balance economic pursuits with environmental sustainability.

The extinction of Steller's sea cow in the Bering Sea in 1768 was highlighted in exploration narratives that addressed human impact on nature. Later poetry reflected on this theme, with writers like John Muir and Robinson Jeffers using extinction as a metaphor for environmental degradation.