On a secluded Russian island, a long-extinct sea monster has made a comeback.

Officials from the nature reserve discovered the headless bones of a Steller’s sea cow on the remote Commander Islands in the Bering Sea.

The 20-foot (six-meter) long animal went extinct in the 18th century as harpoon hunters used them as sitting targets because they had no fear of people.

The creature’s ribs were discovered sticking up like a “fence” from the coastline.

A rare discovery of the sea cow, which was originally restricted to the waters surrounding these islands between Russia and Alaska, was made after an eight-hour dig.

On the decapitated creature, they discovered 45 vertebrae, 27 ribs, a left scapula, and miscellaneous bones.

Before they disappeared, Arctic explorers noted sightings of these sea cows.

The length and weight of sea cows might reach ten meters (30 feet) and ten tonnes, respectively.

They could swim well and passed their days munching on sea grass with their horny pads.

The skeleton’s protruding ribs were discovered by nature reserve inspector Maria Shitova and will be on display on the islands.

The enormous creatures belonged to a family of mammals called Sirenia, which was given that name in honor of the mermaids from Greek mythology.

Researchers from George Mason University write in Biology Letters that “according to the fossil record, animals in the genus Hydrodamalis inhabited coastal waterways from Japan through the Aleutian Island chain to Baja California during the Late Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene.”

According to historical accounts, the species had reduced to remnant populations by the eighteenth century, only remaining in the vicinity of Russia’s Bering and Copper Islands.

The species was given the name Steller after German explorer George Steller, who discovered it on an expedition in 1741.

This group survived by hunting sea cows, which traveled in herds and were simple targets. According to some reports, one cow could provide 33 men with food for a month.

According to BBC, rumors regarding the meat of the 4-inch blubber circulated after Stellar claimed that it tasted like almond oil.

27 years after modern man discovered it, the last one was slain in 1768.

These hunting expeditions may have contributed to its demise, according to scientists.

According to reports, hunters slaughtered far more sea cows than they could consume because they thought there would always be a supply.