Giant Deer

Giant Deer
Megaloceros giganteus, Blumenbach, 1799

number on the map: 37

Class: Mammalia

The giant deer is an extinct mammal from the Cervidae family. It is one of the largest deer that have ever lived. It owes its name to its size and Ireland, where most of its remains were found. The antler span exceeded 3 metres, its mass reaching 40 kilograms. Its diet was very similar to the diet of modern deer. Most likely, the closest relative of the giant deer is the Fallow deer. During the antler growth phase, the giant deer could suffer from a disease similar to osteoporosis. To grow the antler it needed a huge amount of minerals; if the diet did not provide enough micro and macro elements as material for the antler, the deer obtained the missing building material from its bones.

body height: ca. 2,1 m
body mass: 500–600 kg
temporal range: 400–7,7 tya