Elk calf caught on barbed-wire fence in Colorado. See its sweet reaction when freed
There’s no telling how long an elk calf was caught in a barbed-wire fence in Colorado, but it’s clear it was relieved to be free — with a little help from wildlife officials.
Video shows the exhausted calf thrashing around as it tries to free itself from the fence, severely skinning its leg in the process.
“The calf was tired from thrashing and its leg skinned up,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said in an Oct. 24 post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “But watch its reaction when (a wildlife officer) frees it.”
The video shows Officer Travis Sauder carefully climbing over a fence to reach the calf near Colorado Springs. The calf seems to nervously stir at the potential threat as he approaches, and video shows it begins thrashing its legs.
Sauder tells the calf “it’s OK” in a soothing voice before taking wire cutters to the fence and cutting the calf loose.
The calf thrashes its legs again and scrambles to its feet. Then, stunned, the calf looks around as if in disbelief at what just happened — before glancing back at Sauder as if it wants to express gratitude for the kind rescue.
Sauder snaps a couple photos of the calf standing there before it trots off to freedom.
“Great rescue, we love happy endings!” a wildlife rehab organization said in the comments.
This story was originally published October 26, 2023 at 3:34 PM with the headline "Elk calf caught on barbed-wire fence in Colorado. See its sweet reaction when freed."
