Elk NetworkFishermen Snag Head, Antlers of Extinct Irish Elk

General | September 7, 2018

Two men in Northern Ireland decided to cast their fishing net into Toome Bay. They thought they caught a huge snag but it turns out what they managed to pull to the surface could be the remains of an extinct Irish elk dating back more than 10,000 years ago.

According to Wikipedia, the most recent remains of the species date back to Siberia some 7,700 years ago. The Irish elk is believed to have had a range that covered Europe, northern Africa and some related forms in China.

One of the largest deer species ever, it stood nearly seven feet tall at the shoulders, had antlers measuring up to 12 feet from tip to tip that weighed nearly 90 pounds and had an overall body weight up to 1,300 pounds.

(Photo source: weathernetwork.com)