The dugong, a gentle giant also known as a "sea cow," has disappeared from China, researchers say

The dugong, also known as a "sea cow," is extinct in China, scientists say. Researchers from Zoological Society of London and the Chinese Academy of Sciences say the gentle giant hasn't had a presence at all in China since 2008 and the latest research shows "strong indications that this is the first functional extinction of a large mammal in China's coastal waters," the society said in a press release.

The animal's population in China had been decreasing rapidly since the 1970s, with human activity, like fishing, threatening them. Being hit by ships and human-caused habitat loss also played a role in their decline.

The dugong was first designated for protection by the Chinese State Council in 1988. They were also listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation and the society says they were one of the world's top mammal conservation priorities.