Irish Elk

extinct · giant deer · Pleistocene · massive antlers

Truly enormous deer. The Irish elk was one of the largest deer that ever lived, roaming across northern Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene period, from Ireland all the way to Siberia.

Record-breaking antlers. Its antlers span over 4.2 metres, or about 13.8 feet across, making them the largest antlers of any deer species ever known to exist.

Recently extinct. The Irish elk was alive much more recently than you might think, with the last remains found in western Russia dating back only about 7,700 years ago.

Surprising family ties. Despite its name, the Irish elk is not actually closely related to modern elk animals, but is instead closest to the smaller fallow deer living today.