Moose calf stuck between floatplane and dock in Homer is rescued

A Homer tourism worker and two police officers rescued a moose from what police described as “certain demise” after it fell into a lake and became stuck in a narrow space between a float plane and a dock .

Spencer Warren, who works for Destination Alaska Adventure Co., arrived at work on Beluga Lake around 6:30 a.m. Friday to prepare a float plane for the day’s trip when he heard what he thought was a bird sound odd.

He quickly spotted the moose calf stuck between the plane’s floats and the dock.

He immediately thought, “Oh, man, where’s mom?” I know she’s nearby,” before spotting the worried cow nearby with another calf.

The calf attempted to climb out of the lake, but was unable to find footing on top of the metal float. His mother, wary, kept Warren, the future rescuer, from getting too close while he struggled.

“It’s like an ice rink for the moose and their hooves,” Warren said of Friday’s rescue. “So he kept slipping and sliding and couldn’t get up.”

Warren checked in with his boss, who called Homer police.

An officer eventually positioned his police car between the mother moose and the floatplane to allow another officer and Warren to rescue the calf, Homer police Lt. Ryan Browning told the Associated Press.

The calf was stuck with one leg outstretched on top of the plane’s float.

“You know, luckily he wasn’t moving, which made the rescue a little easier,” Warren said. “We just lifted it and placed it on the dock.”

The exhausted calf sprawled on the boardwalk until an officer helped him to his feet. The calf found its mother and she licked the water – all filmed by Warren.

“Any time you can save a little creature, it always makes you feel good,” Browning said.