By Zach Mentz
cleveland.com
INDIAN LAKE, N.Y. — A moose was rescued after falling through broken ice into the waters of Lake Abanakee in Hamilton County, New York , officials said.
Forest rangers and police officers from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation teamed to save the moose, which was about 100 yards from shore. Officials responded to the scene when a bystander reported seeing the moose fall into the frigid water on Jan. 16 .
“It was good that we knew when the moose went in and we knew that time wasn’t on our side, but we knew it wasn’t going to take forever for us to do what we had to do,” Forest Ranger Evan Nahor said.
DEC officials used a chainsaw to cut through the ice path towards shore, allowing the moose to free itself. The ice thickness varied from one to four inches, “so it made cutting it with a chainsaw pretty quick,” Forest Ranger Matt Savarie said.
The moose was freed after spending about two hours in the Lake Abanakee waters. It made several attempts to stand before regaining its strength and walking off into the woods, officials said.
“With little time to spare, our ECOs and Forest Rangers jumped into action without hesitation, braved the elements, and risked their own safety to rescue an animal in need,” Karen Pryzlak, director of DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement, said in a news release. “I’m proud of the work they’ve done to bring about such a positive outcome.”
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