MAINE

MAINE

A BULL MOOSE THAT FELL INTO AN ABANDONED WELL IN PEMBROOKE MAINE WAS PULLED TO SAFETY DURING AN ELABORATE FIVE HOUR RESCUE.

THE OPERATION HAPPENED WEDNESDAY AFTER A LOCAL MAN SPOTTED A PAIR OF ANTLERS. HE HEARD A NOISE AND ON FURTHERINSPECTION, REALIZED IT WAS SOMETHING BIG.

“HE WALKS OVER AND, THROUGH THE THICK ALDERS AND BUSHES, HE SAW THE ANTLERS, JUST THE ANTLERS PEEKING OUT,” SAID DELANEY GARDNER, BROWN’S STEPSISTER WHO VIDEOTAPED THE RESCUE. “HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO NEED SOME BACKUP JUST IN CASE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, INJURED OR JUST STUCK THERE.”

THE FAMILY ALERTED THE MAINE DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES & WILDLIFE. THEY SENT A BIOLOGIST WHO SEDATED THE MOOSE AND THEN WARDENS PUT STRAPS ON THE ANIMAL. USING AN EXCAVATOR PROVIDED BY THE FAMILY, THEY GINGERLY LIFTED THE MOOSE OUT OF THE 9-FOOT-DEEP WELL.

“ONCE THE SEDATION WORE OFF, THE MOOSE TOOK OFF RUNNING, NO WORSE FOR WEAR OTHER THAN PERHAPS HIS BRUISED EGO,” THE AGENCY SAID ON ITS FACEBOOK PAGE.

GARDNER SAID THE FAMILY DIDN’T KNOW THE WELL — WHICH IS LIKELY DECADES OLD — WAS ON THEIR 100 ACRES OF LAND UNTIL THE MOOSE FELL INTO IT. SINCE THEN, THEY HAVE CAPPED THE WELL.