Steller’s sea cow

Figuring out why a species became extinct is often a tricky business, especially in distinguishing direct and indirect causes. In the case of Steller’s sea cow, it did not take long for the last remaining population of Steller’s sea cow to be driven into extinction. Discovered by the German naturalist George Steller around the Bering Sea’s Commander Islands in 1741, this enormous and peculiar creature became vulnerable ~ 에 취약한 (= susceptible) to ecological change and human predation ( 포 식, 사냥 ). By 1768, it was gone. First, sea cows seem to have been quickly wiped out by the over-hunt of Siberians that followed Bering's route past the islands to Alaska, who hunted them both for food. In cold regions like Siberia, people have difficulty maintaining their body temperature, and one of the methods to do so is to eat fat. Thus, it is presumed that sea cows were hunted for their valuable subcutaneous fat ( 피하 지방 ), which was used for food (usually as a butter substitute) because it could be kept for a long time in warm weather without spoiling. Second, decreases among sea otter ( 바다 수달 ) populations may have played an indirect role. Sea otters have long been highly prized for their thick pelts ( 모피 ), and as they were killed (by both aboriginal people 원주민들 and Russian fur hunters) populations of sea urchins 성게 – among their most regular prey – exploded. The inflated sea urchin populations then fed on shallow-water kelp unhindered, and since Steller’s sea cow relied upon kelp for sustenance their decline may have been at least partly caused by these changes (sea cow 의 먹이인 kelp 의 감소 ). It is hypothesized that they were easy targets for hunters and extirpated ( 종족 따위 를 멸종 시키다 ) from most of their range. The hunters came from Russia and they caught Steller’s sea cows for their fur because their fur could be sold at a high price. Hence hunting by humans obviously played a critical role in the extinction of Steller’s sea cows.

note—taking

While the explanations regarding the extinction of sea cows seem ingenious, they are entirely speculative, as no one knows for certain why they disappeared so quickly. First, the over-hunt theory does not apply ( 꼭 들어맞다 ). According to archaeologists, the sea cow grew at least 8 to 9 meters and weighed approximately 10 tons, which was much larger than other species in the region. This theory fails to take into account the limited number of people living in the Siberian areas at the time. It is extremely doubtful that these people hunted sea cows into extinction, as there were far smaller and more attainable sea animals at their disposal. Second, it is true that the kelp population was reduced, and likely reduced the amount of food consumed by sea cows. However, kelp was a primary source of nourishment for other marine animals such as the whale, but there is no record of extinction for whales due to this decreased resource. Lastly, the sea cow population had already been in decline by the time European fur traders arrived. In fact, the sea cow population has reached its highest plateau and had already been in decline a full 100 years before European fur traders got to the island. Therefore, different factors not cited in the reading’s argument must have played a role in contributing to their extinction.

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서론 : 아무도 Steller’s sea cow 가 왜 그렇게 빠르게 멸종했는지 알지 못한다. 본론 1: Steller’s sea cow 는 8~9 미터까지 자 라고 몸무게가 10 톤이나 나갈 만큼 거대 했는데 그 당시 Siberia 에는 많은 사람 들이 살지 않았다. 게다가 smaller animals 가 있어서 그들은 Steller’s sea cow 를 멸종시킬 정도까지 잡을 필요가 없었다. ____________________________________________________ Figuring out why a species became extinct is often a tricky business, especially in distinguishing direct and indirect causes. In the case of Steller’s sea cow, it did not take long for the last remaining population of Steller’s sea cow to be driven into extinction. Discovered by the German naturalist George Steller around the Bering Sea’s Commander Islands in 1741, this enormous and peculiar creature became vulnerable to ecological change and human predation. By 1768, it was gone. First, sea cows seem to have been quickly wiped out by the overhunt of Siberians that followed Bering's route past the islands to Alaska, who hunted them both for food. In cold regions like Siberia, people have difficulty maintaining their body temperature, and one of the methods to do so is to eat fat. Thus, it is presumed that sea cows were hunted for their valuable subcutaneous fat ( 피하 지방 ), which was used for food (usually as a butter substitute) because it could be kept for a long time in warm weather without spoiling.

본론 2: kelp 는 Steller’s sea cow 뿐 아니라 whale 과 같 은 다른 marine animals 의 먹이였는데 그 동물들이 멸 종했다는 record 가 없다. 본론 3: European fur traders 가 그곳에 도착했을 때 Steller’s sea cow 의 개체 수 는 이미 decline 하고 있었다. European fur traders 의 도 착 100 년 전에 Steller’s sea cow 의 수가 정점에 이르렀 고 그 때 이후로는 계속 감소 한 것. 따라서, 인간이 아닌 다른 factor 가 있었을 것. 할 일 : 본론 2, 3 영어로 책에 작 성해 올 것 Second, decreases among sea otter populations may have played an indirect role. Sea otters have long been highly prized for their thick pelts, and as they were killed (by both aboriginal people and Russian fur hunters) populations of sea urchins – among their most regular prey – exploded. The inflated sea urchin populations then fed on shallow-water kelp unhindered, and since Steller’s sea cow relied upon kelp for sustenance their decline may have been at least partly caused by these changes. It is hypothesized that they were easy targets for hunters and extirpated ( 종족 따위를 멸종 시키 다 ) from most of their range. The hunters came from Russia and they caught Steller’s sea cows for their fur because their fur could be sold at a high price. Hence hunting by humans obviously played a critical role in the extinction of Steller’s sea cows.

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they did not need/have to hunt Steller’s sea cows into extinction.