First responders saved a moose that fell through lake ice in New York. Here’s how they did it

Heroic Rescue Saves Bull Moose Trapped in Frozen Lake

A dramatic rescue unfolded in the Adirondack Mountains this week as conservation officials saved a bull moose that had fallen through the ice on Lake Abanakee. The massive animal, weighing around 1,000 pounds (455 kilograms), was stranded in the frigid waters for nearly two hours before a team of dedicated responders brought it to safety.

The ordeal began around 11 a.m. Thursday when a passerby spotted the moose struggling about 200 feet (60 meters) from shore. The witness quickly alerted authorities, prompting a swift response from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

“There’s no training manual for getting moose out of the ice,” said Lt. Robert Higgins, an Environmental Conservation Police officer who led the rescue effort. Higgins, along with Forest Rangers Evan Nahor and Matt Savarie, faced a daunting task: navigating thin, unstable ice to reach the exhausted animal.

Equipped with dry suits, safety ropes, and a long metal spud bar to test ice thickness, the team carefully made their way across the lake. The ice varied from just one to four inches (2.5 to 10 centimeters) thick, requiring them to kneel on sleds to distribute their weight and avoid breaking through.

Once they reached the moose, the team used a chainsaw to cut a channel through the ice, creating a path for the animal to swim toward thicker, more stable ice. Despite their efforts, the moose initially resisted, seemingly unbothered by the rescuers or their tools.

“For whatever reason, it was scared of the sleds,” Savarie said. “Once we got behind it, we were able to direct it.”

The strategy worked. The moose, visibly exhausted from treading water in the freezing lake, finally crawled onto the ice. After 15 tense minutes, it regained its footing and stood up, much to the relief of the rescuers.

“It was just an amazing sight to see that huge moose stand up right in front of us,” Higgins said.

The moose, now free, walked off into the surrounding woods, marking the end of a harrowing but successful rescue.

Moose in New York face numerous threats, including poaching, vehicle collisions, and the impacts of climate change, such as warmer summers and tick infestations. This rescue serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between humans and wildlife—and the extraordinary efforts sometimes required to protect it.

“We were able to use our ice rescue training to safely get out there,” Nahor said. “It was a team effort, and we’re just glad it had a happy ending.”