Elaborate plans to clone the once magnificent Irish Elk at the Wild Ireland facility in Burnfoot has backfired – even if it was an April Fool’s joke!
Killian McLaughlin and his staff announced last Saturday that they were about to put Torin, the wild Irish Elk on display.
Staff at the centre said they had managed to clone the elk from bones and antlers found in Lough Neagh using cutting-edge genetic technology.
An announcement on Wild Ireland’s website said “The magnificent creature will be joining our other arctic animals in the Ice Age Ireland area, including reindeer, Arctic fox, and snowy owls. We can’t wait for you to see this majestic beast up close and personal.”
The announcement was met with some raised eyebrows although some did rightfully check their calendars.
However, a certain few people did contact the facility asking when the best time to see Torin was.
Others actually traveled to the park without checking their calendars!
The announcement of the new rare arrival was so believable that Wild Ireland has been forced to issue an apology over the prank.
A spokesperson took to the park’s Facebook page to apologise to all those who were super excited about seeing the rare creature in the coming weeks and also to those who had traveled to the park especially to see Torin.
The spokesperson said “We would like to apologise for any confusion or disappointment caused by our recent April fools post about the reintroduction of the Irish elk at Wild Ireland.
“We understand that many of you were excited about the prospect of seeing this magnificent animal in our park, but unfortunately, it was just a prank.
“The Irish elk is extinct, and while we have seen great advancements in DNA technology, we are still far from seeing them back in the Irish landscape.
“We do have four other fantastic species of deer at Wild Ireland! Once again, we are sorry for any disappointment caused particularly to those that traveled any distance to come see “Torin”. We hope to see you soon at Wild Ireland.”
