Irish elk, extinct 11,000 years ago, grew the largest antlers known, spanning twelve feet.

Evidence

In a clever extension of this research, Moen, Pastor, and Yosef Cohen applied their model to the extinct giant deer Megaloceros giganteus, otherwise known as the Irish elk. Technically, these deer were neither elk nor especially Irish. Close relatives of fallow deer, Irish elk were widely distributed throughout Europe, northern Asia, and northern Africa, until they eventually went extinct around 11,000 years ago. Most fossil specimens of this species are from Ireland (thus their moniker), from lake deposits of the Allerød period between 12,000–11,000 years before present. These magnificent deer produced the largest antlers known for any species, spanning twelve feet across in the largest bucks. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 319

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Extreme antler growth in extinct giant deer carried severe metabolic and mineral costs

Related

• Extreme antler growth in extinct giant deer carried severe metabolic and mineral costs (similarity 0.84)
• Climate-driven food decline may have tipped costly antler growth toward extinction (similarity 0.82)
• Costly weaponry can drive a species extinct when resources degrade. (similarity 0.80)
• Growing antlers so deplete male skeletons that they risk starvation after the rut. (similarity 0.79)