New Holocene refugia of giant deer (Megaloceros giganteus Blum.) in Siberia: updated extinction patterns

• We dated giant elk (Megaloceros giganteus) remains from western and eastern Siberia.
• The survival of giant elk into the Holocene in Eastern Siberia is now established.
• The age of new finds of giant elk from Siberia is ca 8800–12,200 cal BP.
• The large refugium of giant elk existed in Siberia until ca 10,400 cal BP.
• The last refugium of giant elk in Western Siberia existed until ca 8800 cal BP.

We obtained new data on the existence of giant deer (Megaloceros giganteus Blum.) in Siberia during the Holocene. Bones and antler of giant deer from new localities in western (Baraba forest steppe) and eastern (Angara River basin) Siberia are dated by radiocarbon, ranging 7900–10,300 BP (ca 8800–12,200 cal BP). Based on these data, we can extend the ‘Siberian’ Early Holocene habitat of giant deer at least 2400 km to the east compared to previous works. The final extinction of giant deer turned out to be more complex than it was previously thought, with perhaps relatively large refugium in Western Siberia at 7900–7000 BP (ca 8800–7900 cal BP) which was reduced to the Trans-Urals region at 7000–6800 BP (ca 7900–7600 cal BP).