Wildlife biologists in Pembroke, Maine, pulled off an amazing rescue this week after finding a moose trapped in a well.
According to Maine Public, wildlife biologist Steve Dunham received a call about a young moose bull that had become trapped in an old stone well, hidden by dense vegetation, on private property.
After arriving on the scene, the team sedated the moose using a syringe on a long pole. Dunham was then able to climb down into the well and place straps under the moose’s body with help from a crew on the ground. An excavator was then used to safely bring it to the surface before Dunham administered an immobilization reversal drug, which enabled the moose to run off.
The whole rescue mission took an incredible five hours, according to the Guardian, and was filmed by the family who owns the land.
“We knew that we’d have to immobilize it to be able to remove it, because a bull moose in the rut is not an unformidable animal. And it’s very powerful,” Dunham, a biologist with the state’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said, according to Maine Public.
Heartwarming stories like these demonstrate just how far some people are willing to go to rescue wildlife from unfortunate situations. Without help, the young moose would have likely remained trapped in the well and would have likely starved to death.
Animals play key roles in our world, and there are lots of organizations working to protect them. Moose are important keystone species that help to maintain the health of forests by managing plant growth. They are also culturally significant to many Indigenous and rural communities, who rely on them as a vital source of food and materials for clothing and other items.
Uncovered wells, especially those that are hidden, pose a threat to wildlife and people, who can become trapped or even drown if they happen to fall in. Securing them with covers of fences can help prevent these unfortunate situations from occurring.
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