The Irish elk, also called the giant deer, is an extinct species that lived until about 7,700 years ago. Their large size and massive antlers characterized them. The cause of their extinction is debated, but may be related to climate change ending the ice age. The Museum of Natural History in Dublin has skeletal remains of Irish elk on display.
Are Irish elk bigger than moose?
The Irish elk matched the living moose as the largest known deer. The Irish Elk got to 450–600 kg, with large specimens 700 kg or more, similar to the Alaskan Moose.
There are differences between Irish elk and moose. Irish elk likely averaged 1,300 pounds, moose slightly less. Moose are taller and have a larger footprint. Irish elk were thinner, giving a larger appearance.
Irish elk are extinct deer that died off about 7,700 years ago. Despite their name, they did not exclusively live in Ireland. The biggest males weighed 1,500 pounds, about an Alaskan moose. They had the largest antlers ever known, 12 feet across, weighing 90 pounds.
Today the Irish elk is called Megaloceros giganteus. The biggest males weighed as an Alaskan moose and had the largest antlers ever known, 12 feet across, weighing 90 pounds. They were felled and regrown annually.
Several theories suggest human hunting caused Irish elk extinction, whether due to elk maladaptations like massive antlers prohibiting running, or simply widespread hunting steadily reducing the population until extinct.
How rare is the Irish elk?
The Irish elk is not as rare as most people think. There are still a significant number left in the wild. However, they are less common than they used to be.
The pine marten is one of Ireland’s rarest mammals. Once common, by the 20th century this species had become extinct from most of the island.
Endemic mammals are the Irish stoat and the Irish hare. Deer have increased since the mid-19th century, but the giant Irish elk is extinct.
The rarest animal is the vaquita porpoise. It lives in Mexico. Only 18 are left.
The Irish hare is the only lagomorph native to Ireland. It is an elusive creature.
Bears were once common in Ireland but are now extinct. They died out in the 1st millennium BC.
The Eurasian lynx once roamed Ireland but is now absent from the fossil record. Lynx can hunt red deer.
The Irish elk is the largest deer in Europe. It can grow to 6 feet tall and weigh 1,500 pounds. Hunting them is popular. They have a lifespan of 10-12 years.
The Irish elk pet is a rare pet worth 35,000 gingerbread. It has a variable worth when traded. Some pets of similar worth are the neon fennec fox and neon corgi.
Did the Irish elk have any predators?
The Irish Elk lived across Eurasia and Africa. It was one of the largest deer species to ever walk the earth. The Irish Elk was hunted by lions, wolves and bears. It had huge antlers to protect itself from predators like the cave lion.
Irish elk extinction likely happened due to climate change and hunting by humans. Recent findings show the giant deer survived until 8,000 years ago in Russia and Britain.
The Irish Elk was not actually an elk. It thrived in moderate climates with plentiful vegetation. Modern deer evade predators by camouflaging in brush and tall trees. But Irish elk made homes on open grasslands for distance running from predators.
Irish elk exhibits more marked sexual dimorphism than other deer. Bucks ranged 450–700 kg with does relatively large around 300 kg. Segregation implies a polygynous society with stags fighting for harems. Most individuals found were juvenile or geriatric, likely suffering malnutrition and dying from winterkill.
The Irish Elk is associated with Ireland. Although extinct, it has been described as a national animal along with the Irish Hare and red deer. Ireland lacks common English animals like the weasel and mole, having no snakes. Evidence shows beavers were never present in Ireland, unlike Britain, so introduction would not be reintroduction.
These habitat and food source alterations from rapid climate shifts likely impacted the delicate balance of the Irish Elk’s ecosystem, contributing to their extinction. The Irish Elk antlers, facing forward to show area when looking ahead, may have served as visual signals in courtship rather than combat.