A dramatic rescue played out in Muskoka Wednesday as rescue teams spent the day trying to help an injured moose.
A team of wildlife experts, veterinarians and crews from Fowler Construction worked together to pull the injured animal out of the shallow pond off of Muskoka Road 3.
Howard Smith of Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary says the moose was struck by a vehicle around 5:00 a.m. Wednesday and ended up 25 feet away from the road in the pond.
The water made it a dangerous and delicate rescue.
The Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary tranquilized the animal and brought in a veterinarian to assist with treating the animal.
Teams went out in boats to hold the animals head above water after being tranquilized.
Fowler Construction used an excavator and ropes to lift the moose out.
The moose was transported to Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary where its injuries where further assessed.
Unfortunately, it was discovered that the moose was too badly injured to survive.
However, it was discovered that the female moose was pregnant and would have given birth in a week or so.
Veterinarians were able to deliver two calves, one boy and one girl, by caesarean section.
They are both expected to survive.
Staff will have to bottle-feed the calves for now, but there is also another female adult moose at the wildlife centre that will be slowly introduced to the babies.
With files from CTV Barrie's Rob Cooper & CTV Northern Ontario
