A deer that Twitters
A giant skeletal deer from a species that is now extinct is enjoying a new lease of life in entering the world of Twitter.
To celebrate the re-opening of the museum in Market Place in Warwick, Oisin (promounced O’sheen) has entered the 21st century world of social networking and launched his very own Twitter account.
He is now tweeting about what is happening behind the scenes, as well as current and future Museum events.
http://twitter.com/OisinTheDeer
His unusual name is the gaelic for deer, and came about following a vote among Warwickshire County Council staff and visitors to the museum, with Oisin beating Dylan by just 9 votes from the hundreds cast.
Oisin can be seen standing proud in one of the windows of the county council museum. He’s the skeleton of an extinct male Irish Giant Deer, dug from a peat bog in the 19th century.
Creatures such as Oisin died out about 10,000 years ago (possibly due to climate change – spring seasons shortened meaning less time for long grass to grow and therefore they starved to death).
They measured up to 2.1m (7ft) at the shoulder with antlers measuring up to 3.6m (12ft) from tip to tip. Their remains are known from across Eurasia, but are best known from Irish peat bogs where many skeletons were unearthed during the nineteenth century.
For further information about Oisin or the Museum please contact Dr Jon Radley, Keeper of Geology, on 01926 412500