This angry moose got his antlers suck in an old rope swing. The animal weighed over 1,000 pounds but he could not get free. Thankfully two men witnessed the predicament and came to his rescue.
14. Life on Vindö
Image: sweden
Leif Gisslen and Pentti Valkama live on the island of Vindö, a large, fairly densely populated island in Svealand, Sweden, in the Stockholm archipelago. The area is well known for its wildlife and boating cultures. Leif and Pentii frequently encountered wild animals, so they didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary when they went for a walk that winter morning.
13. Moore Moose Per Kilometer
Image: wikipedia
However, it did not take long for them to encounter something they had never seen before: an enormous mouse just yards away from them. There are more moose in Sweden per square kilometer than any other country in the world, but it is rare to get so close to one. Although moose may look harmless, they can weigh up to 1,500 pounds and their strength makes them dangerous. The moose was standing next to some trees. The two men assumed that he would make a break for it as soon as they approached. However, the moose was unable to move.
12. Caught in a Trap?
Image: youtube
Leif and Pentii slowly walked toward the moose, waiting for him to run. But as they got closer and he still didn’t move, they saw that he seemed to be constrained by something. It looked as if he was caught and struggling to move. Was it a hunter’s trap?
11. Deciding to Help
Image: youtube
The men did not want to agitate the moose but they needed to see how he was caught. That’s when they spotted ropes in the trees. The moose was not in a hunter’s trap; he was stuck in an old rope tree swing! The moose probably stumbled upon the ara quite by accident. Pentti and Lief had a decision to make.
10. A Season of Antlers
Image: youtube
Moose are mostly dangerous because of their size and their powerful antlers. Every year moose shed their antlers and grown new ones. Usually it takes about five months to fully grow a set of antlers. On December 6, the day the men found the moose, his antlers were about halfway gone. He probably wasn’t able to correctly gauge how long they were, which is how he got stuck in the first place.
9. Trying to Free Himself
Image: youtube
The moose was actively trying to free himself by moving back and forth. But that only got him more tangled up. The angry moose was getting angrier by the minute. Leif and Pentti came up with a plan.
8. Just One Problem
Image: youtube
A full-grown moose is dangerous, but that didn’t stop these Good Samaritans from intervening. They walked back to Pentti’s house for a pruning saw. They figured that if the saw could cut shrubs and trim branches, it would easily slice through the old rope. There was just one problem.
The problem was this: how to approach a giant moose without making him very angry and potentially causing themselves and the moose further harm.
7. Rushing Forward
Leif steeled himself as he walked straight up to the moose. Sensing danger, the moose tried to rush Leif, but the ropes held him back. Once the animal calmed down a little bit, Leif started to reach over with the saw.
6. Trapped by a Large Branch
He realized that the moose was also trapped by a large branch that had broken off the tree. The moose’s antlers were caught in the branch. Leif bravely rached over and removed the branch from the antlers. Once Leif had freed the moose’s antlers, the moose did something unexpected.
5. Cooperation
Image: youtube
Gone was the moose’s angry attitude. In its place was the spirit of cooperation. The moose realized that this human was here to help, not hurt. So he stood still so that it was easier for Leif to work.
4. Reaching Up High
Image: youtube
Leif started cutting the ropes. He had to reach up very high just to approach it with the saw. He could barely touch the rope even standing up on his tiptoes. The moose surprised the men once again.
3. Freed from the Ropes
Image: youtube
After a few minutes of watching his rescuer struggle, the moose started to help him by walking a few steps closer to Leif. This allowed Leif to reach the rope. After several minutes, the rope and tree swing fell to the ground. Now the moose could go free.
2. Running to the Woods
Image: youtube
In his excitement to be free, the moose darted straight toward the men. He didn’t really want to scare or hurt them, he just wanted the fastest route back to the safety of the woods. Thankfully Leif moved away just in time to avoid being trampled.
1. A Story of Bravery
Image: youtube
Pentti had been standing nearby the entire time. He used his phone to record a video of the moment. When he uploaded it to the internet, Pentti was amazed at how many millions of people watched and commented. People were amazed by the majestic beauty of the moose, and complimentary toward the men who saved it.