A group of snowmobilers pulled out their shovels to free a stuck moose after spotting its head poking out of freshly fallen snow in western Newfoundland.
Jonathan Anstey, who owns a snowmobile riding clinic, said he and about seven other riders set out on the trails near Deer Lake, N.L., on Saturday, when for the first time in two weeks, the terrain was blanketed in a thick layer powder.
As they veered off the main road, the group spotted a moose neck-deep amid the white expanse, buried in what Anstey estimated to be six feet, or 1.8 metres, of snow.
91裸聊视频淲e knew the moose was stuck really good,91裸聊视频� he said in an interview on Wednesday. 91裸聊视频滺e tried several times to get himself out of the hole, but he wasn91裸聊视频檛 getting anywhere.91裸聊视频�
Anstey said the moose appeared to have gotten stuck in a bog hole and was trying to climb out, but its hind legs seemed to be firmly planted in the snow.
91裸聊视频淲hen a moose gets distressed, they pin their ears back, their hair stands up on their back, and they lick their lips a lot,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淵ou could tell he was extremely distressed.91裸聊视频�
He said some members of his group grabbed shovels and walked around to the rear of the moose, where they figured they would be safe from the animal91裸聊视频檚 thrashing.
91裸聊视频淎fter he realized he wasn91裸聊视频檛 moving, he just kind of stopped and lay down,91裸聊视频� said Anstey.
After a few minutes of digging, Anstey said they had carved out a path behind the moose, and one of the snowmobilers rode up to the animal to coax it to turn around.
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91裸聊视频淭he moose actually realized it had footing on solid ground and managed to pull himself out of the hole,91裸聊视频� he said.
The liberated moose hung around for a bit to dry off, Anstey said, occasionally looking at its rescuers as if to say 91裸聊视频漚 little thank you91裸聊视频� before trotting away.
Anstey said it isn91裸聊视频檛 uncommon for people to come across moose in sticky situations while exploring Newfoundland91裸聊视频檚 back-country, but he would advise them to contact provincial officials rather than taking matters into their own hands.
91裸聊视频淚 wouldn91裸聊视频檛 recommend rescuing it even though we did, because we91裸聊视频檙e experienced outdoorsmen,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淵ou don91裸聊视频檛 really want to get close to a big animal like that as they can charge or do a lot of damage.91裸聊视频�
Even though this is his second moose rescue, Anstey said he tries not intervene in animal affairs.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檇 like to be known as a back-country riding clinic and not a moose rescuer,91裸聊视频� said Anstey. 91裸聊视频漌e do what we need to do to help the wild as much as possible and give them their space.91裸聊视频�
The Canadian Press
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