This is a skeleton of a male Giant Deer that roamed Ireland during the last ice age, several tens of thousands of years ago, and a full life-size model of what the creature is thought to have looked like.
The most recent example of the Giant Deer was dated to 7,500 years ago in Siberia.
Experts have noted the creature was cursorial, possessing significant stamina and the ability to run for long periods of time.
Full-grown males were thought to weigh between 400 to 700 kg and eat 40kg of food a day. The Deer could eat browse shrubs and graze grass. It lived in a polygamous society where males would compete to dominate a harem of female deer. It is thought the antlers were to attract female mates and intimidate male rivals.
This type of deer is often known as the Irish Elk as the bones of many specimens have been found across Ireland. This is because Ireland has many bogs which are excellent for preserving organic material such as bones rather than the animal being particularly numerous in Ireland. Many examples of antlers have been found across Ireland and given pride of place in stately homes such as Hillsborough Castle.
The skeleton is special in that it is made up of real bones rather than being a plaster cast like the head of the Tyrannosaurus Rex or the skeleton of the Triceratops that are also found in the museum.
It is not known why the Deer became extinct but three theories have been put forward. Firstly, the maladaptation idea, where the deer became unsuited to the changing nature of its surroundings, its long antlers getting trapped in bushes and trees. Secondly, that extinction may have been through human predation, examples of bones have been found with signs of butchery by flint tools. Certainly, humans had contact with Giant Deer as they feature in cave paintings. Finally, climate change may have led to its extinction. As the planet warmed, the ice retreated, changes to the environment led to changes to vegetation which meant the creatures could no longer find food to eat.
The Giant Deer was originally housed at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and was known to the students by various names including Dermot and Dave. QUB donated the Deer to the Ulster Museum in 1992.