• A bull moose fell through the ice on Lake Abanakee in New York.
• New York conservation officials carried out a cold-water rescue, showcasing bravery and training.
• The rescue operation involved several techniques to safely guide the moose back onto solid ice.
• The entire effort took nearly two hours, but ultimately ended in success.
• The moose walked away after being reunited with solid ground.

In a remarkable display of wildlife rescue efforts, a
bull moose that fell through the ice in the
Adirondack Mountains was saved by New York conservation officials after an arduous two-hour operation on Thursday. The incident occurred around 11 a.m., approximately 200 feet from shore on
Lake Abanakee, located near the town of Indian Lake, roughly 60 miles south of Lake Placid and west of the Vermont border ([AP News](https://apnews.com/article/moose-fall-lake-upstate-adirondacks-abanakee-45c038e82b1dfc85df9c53505898d523)).

"There’s not a training manual for getting moose out of the ice," commented Environmental Conservation Police officer, Lt. Robert Higgins, highlighting the uniqueness of the situation. The rescue efforts were activated when a passerby reported the moose falling through the ice, prompting Higgins to call in backup from two forest rangers.

New York's moose population faces several perils, including poaching and collisions with vehicles, with additional threats imposed by warming summers and tick infestations caused by human activity ([Huffpost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/moose-rescued-fall-through-ice-new-york_n_678b33f9e4b05b0b921cbcba)). The bull moose, weighing around 1,000 pounds, faced an almost certain struggle against the biting cold of the lake.

The rescuers donned dry suits to ensure buoyancy in the water and to protect against the cold. They then utilized a long metal "spud bar" to evaluate the ice’s thickness, discovering a dangerous variance between one to four inches. Safety precautions included ropes for pulling each other out in case any rescuer fell through the ice.

As the rescuers navigated a path across the lake's surface without faltering, they adeptly used a chainsaw to cut through the ice, aiming to create a channel wide enough for the moose to swim toward the thicker ice where escape could be achieved.

Initially, the moose did not respond as hoped, avoiding the direction of the solid ice. However, using sleds to herding, it surprisingly became frightened of the sleds themselves, allowing the team to direct it onto solid ground.

After about two hours of stress and exhaustion from treading water, the moose was finally able to find its footing and stood tall in front of its rescuers. "It was just an amazing sight to see that huge moose stand up right in front of us," said Higgins, reflecting on the heartwarming conclusion of their efforts.

With its determination restored, the moose walked away into the woods, leaving behind a memorable story of survival and teamwork.