The Big Elk

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The Big Elk
Storelgen i Stor-Elvdal 1.jpg
The sculpture next to National Road 3
Norway Innlandet adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
The Big Elk
Location in Norway
Norway location map.svg
Red pog.svg
The Big Elk
The Big Elk (Norway)
Artist Linda Bakke
Completion date2015
MediumPolished stainless steel sculpture
Subject Moose
Dimensions10.3 m(34 ft)
Location Atna, Norway
Coordinates 61°40′04″N10°53′04″E / 61.667779°N 10.884358°E / 61.667779; 10.884358

The Big Elk, also known as Storelgen (meaning 'big elk' in Norwegian), is the world's second-tallest sculpture of an elk/moose (Alces alces). It is near the village of Atna in Stor-Elvdal, Innlandet, Norway. [1] It held the title of the tallest moose sculpture for 4 years, from its completion in October 2015 until October 2019.

Contents

The sculpture

Paid for by a donation from Sparebank1 Hedmark art foundation, [2] the sculpture was created by the Norwegian artist Linda Bakke in conjunction with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA). It was officially unveiled on 15 October 2015. [3] It is close to National Road 3 and is an attempt to reduce traffic accidents by encouraging drivers to take a break and be aware of wildlife on the roads. Stor-Elvdal has Norway's third-highest moose population. [2]

The project started in 2009. [2] The building and installation of the sculpture took around six months. [1] It was produced in Beijing, China, as a Chinese bidder had the best offer both in economic terms and with regard to quality. [4] It is made of polished stainless steel. [5] The height is 10.3 metres (34 ft), [6] and at the time of its completion it was about 50 centimetres (20 in) taller than Mac the Moose in Canada. [4] [7] The sculpture cost a little more than €200,000 (about US$236,000), and the Bjøråa picnic area and rest stop in the area, created by the NPRA, is worth €2.7 million (about $3 million). [2]

Rivalry and media coverage

In January 2019, Canadian comedians Justin Reves and Greg Moore highlighted the fact that The Big Elk was the world's tallest moose statue [5] and called on Canadians to add to the height of Mac the Moose which previously held the title. The comedians set up a GoFundMe page to hire an engineer to make Mac taller, hoping to raise C$50,000. This created widespread attention in Canadian media and international media. [5] [8]

Fraser Tolmie, the mayor of Moose Jaw, told the BBC: 'We're considered to be very mannerly and respectful, but there are things you just don't do to Canadians. You don't mess with Mac the Moose.' A popular suggestion, according to the mayor, is to make Mac's antlers larger, while others have suggested adding a pair of stilettos. [9] In October 2019, a new set of antlers was added to Mac the Moose, making it taller than the Big Elk. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moose</span> Largest species of deer

The moose or elk is the world's tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer and the only species in the genus Alces. It is also the tallest, and the second-largest, land animal in North America, falling short only of the American bison in body mass. Most adult male moose have broad, palmate antlers; other members of the deer family have pointed antlers with a dendritic ("twig-like") configuration. Moose inhabit the circumpolar boreal forests or temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of the Northern Hemisphere, thriving in cooler, temperate areas as well as subarctic climates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stor-Elvdal</span> Municipality in Innlandet, Norway

Stor-Elvdal is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Koppang. Other villages in the municipality include Atna, Evenstad, and Sollia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chronic wasting disease</span> Prion disease affecting the deer family

Chronic wasting disease (CWD), sometimes called zombie deer disease, is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting deer. TSEs are a family of diseases thought to be caused by misfolded proteins called prions and include similar diseases such as BSE in cattle, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) in humans and scrapie in sheep. Natural infection causing CWD affects members of the deer family. In the United States, CWD affects mule deer, white-tailed deer, red deer, sika deer, elk, caribou, and moose. The transmission of CWD to other species such as squirrel monkeys and humanized mice has been observed in experimental settings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish elk</span> Extinct species of deer

The Irish elk, also called the giant deer or Irish deer, is an extinct species of deer in the genus Megaloceros and is one of the largest deer that ever lived. Its range extended across Eurasia during the Pleistocene, from Ireland to Lake Baikal in Siberia. The most recent remains of the species have been radiocarbon dated to about 7,700 years ago in western Russia. Its antlers, which can span 3.5 metres (11 ft) across are the largest known of any deer. It is not closely related to either living species called the elk, with it being widely agreed that its closest living relatives are fallow deer (Dama).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atna, Norway</span> Village in Eastern Norway, Norway

Atna is a village in Stor-Elvdal Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located in the Østerdalen valley between Koppang and Alvdal at the confluence of the rivers Atna and Glomma.The Rørosbanen railway will stop at Atna Station by request. The Rondane mountains, Gudbrandsdal valley, and Ringebu are nearby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bearspaw, Alberta</span> Place in Alberta, Canada

Bearspaw is rural area in southern Alberta, Canada in Rocky View County. It has a population of 5,567 (2018).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elk</span> Species of deer

The elk, or wapiti, is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The word "elk" originally referred to the European variety of the moose, Alces alces, but was transferred to Cervus canadensis by North American colonists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kostroma Moose Farm</span> Experimental farm in Kostroma Oblast, Russia

Kostroma Moose Farm is an experimental farm in Kostroma Oblast, Russia, where a herd of moose is kept, primarily for milk production; the farm supplies moose's milk to a nearby sanitorium. It is located near the village of Sumarokovo in Krasnoselsky District of Kostroma Oblast, some 25 km east of the city of Kostroma.

<i>Cervalces scotti</i> Extinct species of deer

Cervalces scotti, also known as stag-moose, is an extinct species of large deer that lived in North America during the Late Pleistocene epoch. It is the only known North American member of the genus Cervalces. Its closest living relative is the modern moose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moose milk</span>

Moose milk, also known as elk milk, refers to milk produced by moose. Though it is most commonly consumed by moose calves, its production has also been commercialised in Russia, Sweden and Canada.

<i>Mac the Moose</i> Sculpture in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Mac the Moose is a steel and concrete sculpture of a moose in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. It is on the grounds of Moose Jaw's visitors' center, on the corner of E Thatcher Drive and the Trans-Canada Highway. It is claimed to be the world's largest moose at 10.36 metres (34.0 ft) tall and a weight of approximately 10 long tons (10,000 kg).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunting in New Zealand</span>

Hunting is a popular recreational pursuit and a tourist activity in New Zealand with numerous books and magazines published on the topic. Unlike most other developed countries with a hunting tradition, there are no bag-limits or seasons for hunting large game in New Zealand. Hunting in national parks is a permitted activity. The wide variety of game animals and the limited restrictions means hunting is a popular pastime which has resulted in a high level of firearms ownership among civilians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaska moose</span> Subspecies of deer

The Alaska moose, or Alaskan moose in Alaska, or giant moose and Yukon moose in Canada, is a subspecies of moose that ranges from Alaska to western Yukon. The Alaska moose is the largest subspecies of moose. Alaska moose inhabit boreal forests and mixed deciduous forests throughout most of Alaska and most of Western Yukon. Like all moose subspecies, the Alaska moose is usually solitary but sometimes will form small herds. Typically, they only come into contact with other moose for mating or competition for mates. Males and females select different home ranges during different seasons. This leads to spatial segregation throughout much of the year. While males and females are spatially separate the habitat that they occupy is not significantly different. During mating season, in autumn and winter, male Alaska moose become very aggressive and prone to attacking when startled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western moose</span> Subspecies of deer

The Western moose is a subspecies of moose that inhabits boreal forests and mixed deciduous forests in the Canadian Arctic, western Canadian provinces and a few western sections of the northern United States and it was introduced to New Zealand. It is the second largest North American subspecies of moose, second to the Alaskan moose. This subspecies is prey to timber wolves and bears. Male Western moose are aggressive during mating season and may injure or kill with provocation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern moose</span> Subspecies of deer

The eastern moose is a subspecies of moose that currently ranges throughout Eastern Canada, New England and northern New York State. It inhabits boreal forests and mixed deciduous forests. It is the third largest North American subspecies, after the western moose and the Alaskan moose. Males are aggressive during mating season and will attack anything that provokes them.

<i>Cervalces latifrons</i> Extinct species of deer

Cervalces latifrons, the broad-fronted moose, or the giant moose was a giant species of deer that inhabited the Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene epoch. It is thought to be the ancestor of the modern moose, as well as the extinct North American Cervalces scotti. It was considerably larger than living moose, placing it as one of the largest deer to have ever lived.

<i>Thompson Elk Fountain</i> Sculpture in Portland, Oregon

Thompson Elk Fountain, also known as the David P. Thompson Fountain, David P. Thompson Monument, Elk Fountain, the Thompson Elk, or simply Elk, was a historic fountain and bronze sculpture by American artist Roland Hinton Perry. The fountain with its statue was donated to the city of Portland, Oregon, United States, in 1900 for display in Downtown Portland's Plaza Blocks. It was owned by the City of Portland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moose cavalry</span> Military Unit

Moose cavalry are military units of cavalrymen mounted on moose rather than the more usual horses. Some sources state that in 17th-century Sweden Charles XI trialled the use of moose as a replacement for horses, which had to be imported, but this is disputed. The use of moose cavalry by the Soviets in the Winter War of 1939 and 1940 is also reported but seems to stem from a 2010 Popular Mechanics April Fools' Day article.

References

  1. 1 2 Atter, Heidi (20 January 2019). "'Fun to beat Canada': artist behind World's Largest Moose weighs in on Canada-Norway moose debate". CBC News. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Vivian Stensrud (15 October 2015) Storelgen er på plass Archived 2016-02-25 at the Wayback Machine NRK. Retrieved 30 January 2019
  3. Rune Hagen (27 July 2015) "Her er de første bildene av verdens største elg". Archived from the original on 2019-01-27. Retrieved 2019-01-26.Østlendingen. Retrieved 1 February 2019
  4. 1 2 "The World's Biggest Elk Statue – In Norway". Archived from the original on 2019-05-18. Retrieved 2019-01-24. Daily Scandinavian. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2019
  5. 1 2 3 Leyland Cecco (18 January 2019) An egregious offence': Canada battles Norway for tallest moose statue Archived 2019-01-30 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian
  6. Vaaju.com "Mac the Moose vs. Storelgen – The price of a new 20 meter high moose in gold is ready". Archived from the original on 2022-08-07. Retrieved 2019-03-12.Vaaju.com. Retrieved 12 March 2019
  7. Øistein Norum Monsen and Halldor Hustadnes (17 January 2019) Canada erklærer elg-krig mot Norge Archived 2019-02-01 at the Wayback Machine Dagbladet. Retrieved 1 February 2019
  8. There's some major beef between Canada and Norway over their giant moose statues Archived 2022-08-07 at the Wayback Machine Metro. Retrieved 13 March 2019
  9. "Mac the Moose reclaims world's tallest moose title after getting new rack". CBC News. The Canadian Press. 8 October 2019. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.