Wild footage shows people and state troopers band together to rescue moose trapped in frozen river
FAIRBANKS, ALASKA: A group of courageous people and Alaska state troopers bravely rescued a female moose after she fell into freezing cold waters of the Chena River on Sunday, April 9. Footage of the rescue effort showed six men wrapping a rope around the moose's front legs and pulling her to safety from the icy river, which runs west from the White Mountains to the Tanana River close to the city of Fairbanks.
The moose spent two hours in freezing cold water before the rescuers brought her back on the land, reported Alaska News Source. Gary Niese, who assisted with the rescue, told the outlet that he first saw the animal "fighting for its life." “I looked out the window here and right over there you could see this moose fighting for his life. He was unable to get out of the hole and was fighting with all his effort,” Niese said. He then called his neighbors for help and phoned wildlife and state troopers to assist in the rescue mission.
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'A nice outcome to an unfortunate situation'
The video captured rescuers tugging on the rope as the huge creature fought to get back on shore. Thanks to their long and relentless efforts, the moose was eventually rescued. Fairbanks resident Eric Dillion, who also assisted in the rescue, noted that it was a "coordinated effort." 'With the coordinated efforts of all of us, we were able to pull the moose out. It was a feat, but it was exhilarating, exciting, and a nice outcome to an unfortunate situation," Dillon told KTUU Alaska.
Despite looking "tired and cold,” the moose made a full recovery, according to the state troopers, who said she was able to stand on her own, despite the massive pieces of ice on her nose.
"Troopers in Fairbanks were notified that a moose had fallen through the ice on the Chena River and couldn't get out," Alaska state troopers shared in a Facebook post, adding, "Troopers Chroniger, Lindblom, and Norris responded with Wildlife Trooper McDowell. With the assistance of some local neighbors, Troopers were successful in rescuing the moose from the water and relocating it to the riverbank. Although tired and cold, the moose was able to stand on its own and thankful for the assistance. Troopers wished the moose a Happy Easter and warned her of the dangers of thawing river ice."
Another moose faced similar situation
This heroic effort comes just days after a moose was rescued after it fell into a frozen lake in Wasilla, Alaska. Donna Lorenzen was the first person who discovered that the animal had broken through the ice on a lake outside of her house and was trapped. The moose was rescued only after Lorenzen’s son and his friends dragged it out of the water with a help of a pick-up truck. The moose was weak from her overnight struggle and laid down for a while as they provided comfort. “She was just kind of like looking up at me and that’s when I just kept nurturing her and I gave her a big kiss, and I said, ‘OK mama, you got this,’” Joe said, according to Alaska News Source
