Megaloceros, also called the Irish Elk, has possibly the most fitting name of any prehistoric animal. Meaning "Great Horn," Megaloceros had enormous antlers that spanned 3.65 meters. Only males had these massive antlers, and they shed and regrew them every mating season. They were probably used to impress the ladies, because who could resist such handsome headgear? In addition to its noteworthy antlers, this stunning lad was a massive two meters tall at the shoulder! Megaloceros is also one of few animals that are depicted in prehistoric cave paintings, so we can actually see how it looked in life. The art shows Megaloceros with a large, boldly colored hump on its shoulders and dark stripes sweeping down its elegant body. This horny deer lived in Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene in open forest and meadow habitats. It was hunted by cave lions, cave hyenas, and cave wolves (oh my!). Evidently, since cave paintings of Megaloceros exist, it also regularly encountered early humans. There are many theories about why the Megaloceros went extinct, including overhunting by humans; other theories argue that their foods lost quality over time, meaning that they could not get sufficient nutrients to live. Surprisingly, their closest modern relatives are not elk or moose, as could be expected, but are actually fallow deer.