Emperor of Exmoor

[1] Its body was reportedly discovered near the A361 road between Tiverton and Barnstaple in Devon, during the annual rutting season.

[7] Within a few days, other local observers reported having seen the animal alive,[8] leading to the suggestion that this may be a manufactured story.

[2][6] Older animals are sometimes culled, particularly when their incisor teeth are worn, making it difficult for them to survive the winter, but a former worker in deer management stated that "The Emperor was starting to get past his best, but he was definitely not at that stage yet.

"[7] The same observer stated, on the topic of stalking during rut, "... we should maintain a standard and stop all persecution during this important time of the year",[6] but the practice is legal and the importance of hunting, both in species management and to the local economy, is asserted by the national park authority.

[6] The possible death of the Emperor of Exmoor prompted several MPs to sign an Early Day Motion with the intent to ban hunting of wild animals in Britain.