Emperor Stag

Thought to be the largest wild animal in the British Isles, he weighs around 300lb and stands 9ft tall from the ground to top of his antlers. He doesn’t make many public appearances, but whenever he shows up at his annual stag do – otherwise known as the mating season – the Emperor of Exmoor always makes an impression.  His home is on the Devon and Somerset border, however his precise location is kept a closely guarded secret for fear that poachers may try to stalk him. In 2010 The Exmoor Emperor was estimated to be between ten and 12 years old – nearly a pensioner in red deer terms – based on sightings in Exmoor. However, it is impossible to know the exact age of a wild deer until it is dead and its teeth can be examined.

The rutting season - from September until the end of October - begins with the stags trying to collect a harem of hinds together.

■    A stag of about five years old is in his prime at the start of the rut, with big antlers, a thick neck with a heavy mane and plenty of fat reserves.

■    The most successful manage to collect up to 40 hinds and spend most of their time patrolling around them, keeping them together and chasing away challengers.

■    The stag eventually mates with each hind. He has little time to eat, and by the end of the rut is thin and exhausted.

■    Stags often fight and on rare occasions the antlers become locked and both starve to death.

Contributed by: Helen Took