| “ | Megaloceros is a giant form of deer, and the males sport an impressive set of antlers. Each one is as long as a person. It's a wonder they can even hold their heads up. | „ |
| — Allen Johnson, about Megaloceros in Mammoth's Undertaking Journey | ||
Megaloceros (name meaning "Large Horn"), also commonly known as The Giant Deer or The Irish Elk, is a genus of giant deer that originated during the Pleistocene epoch in what is now Europe and Asia. Standing around 2 meters tall and weighing around 700 kg, Megaloceros was the largest deer species of all time, dwarfing all modern species by far including the Moose.
In the Series 3 finale "Mammoth's Undertaking Journey", a herd of a dozen Megaloceros were brought to the park from Late Pleistocene Europe 30,000 years ago. They reside in the Mammoth Tundra Enclosure with other animals including the famous Woolly Mammoths. While watching two males fight they were attacked by a hunting party of Cro-Magnons. However one of them escapes while the other one got killed. The team captured the escaped male and brought him to the park.
Later in the Series 4 episode "New Arrivals", a male Megaloceros was seen grazing on grass while the team visited Mid Pleistocene Europe, 400,000 years ago before a hunting party of Homo Heidelbergensis attacked it. During the attack, the male injures one of the Heidelbergensis with it's antlers before one of the other hunters kills the deer by impaling it with his spear.
Facts[]
Era & Discovery[]
Megaloceros lived in Eurasia during the Late Pleistocene period from 1.2 million years ago to 770 years ago. They lived alongside other animals such as Cave Lions, Arctotherium, Cave Hyenas, Cave Bears, Elasmotherium, Woolly Rhinoceros, and even the mighty Woolly Mammoths. Megaloceros was the largest deer ever to walk the Earth and even dwarfs modern deer species such as Moose.
The first Megaloceros fossils were discovered in Ireland in 1799 by anthropologist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach. Megaloceros became one of the most famous prehistoric animals of all due to it's massive antlers and many scientist called it the Irish Elk. However despite the name, Megaloceros was more related to Fallow Deer rather than elk and they lived throughout Europe including Ireland.
Physical Attributes[]
Megaloceros skeleton
Megaloceros stood 6.92 feet tall and weighed 700 kilograms making them the largest deer to live on Earth.
Megaloceros were a giant form of deer, the males sport a most impressive set of antlers that were as long as a person which were used to fend off predators or to compete against rival males for a mate or territory. Like modern deer, Megaloceros also shedded their antlers and regrew another pair every year.
Behavior & Traits[]
Megaloceros like most species of deer lived in herds for protection against predators. Like ornithopod dinosaurs before them, a Megaloceros would often be on lookout for predators.
During the mating season, male Megaloceros would fight each other using their massive antlers much like modern deer do today.
Journal Entry[]
Prehistoric Earth: A Natural History[]
Series 3[]
Megaloceros debuted in the Series 3 Finale, Mammoth's Undertaking Journey where a herd of them were spotted by the team grazing on grass on the open plains with other animals such as bison, saigia antelopes and even the Woolly Mammoths. Eventually the team opened the portal and gets the Megaloceros herd to the park and were put into the Mammoth Tundra enclosure where they live with their modern deer relatives. Later during the winter Allen and the group encountered two male Megaloceros fighting for a herd of females nearby them. The males get exhausted from the fight and gave up until they were attacked by a hunting party of Cro-Magnons, one of the males escapes while the other was killed by the hunters. The team eventually rescues the male and bring him back to the present to join the herd they already rescued.
Series 4[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The sound effects of Megaloceros are that of camel, deer, elk, and moose sound effects.
- Megaloceros is the largest prehistoric deer brought to the park.