Below is taken from a Facebook post by Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement.
On the morning of April 23, 2020, officers received a call about two elk that fell through the ice on a slough near Highway 2 and Highway 13 south of Edmonton, Alberta. Two officers responded and found the elk standing in holes in the ice approximately 100 yards from Highway 2. With the help of a woman who lived nearby and came out to help after spotting the elk, officers spent most of the morning using shovels and axes to break the ice that was restricting the elk. Eventually, they created a pathway for the elk leading to a field and the elk found their way out of the ice and retreated safely into the field.
It is not very common for animals to fall through the ice, but it can happen on occasion especially when the ice starts to thaw. Both elk were very exhausted, and if quick action wasn’t taken, the elk probably would have died due to hypothermia or exhaustion. The elk are safe and well, and it was definitely a team effort that led to the success of this situation. We would like to thank our officers and the local woman for their tremendous work rescuing the wildlife in need, and for the members of the public who called the Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800 to report this emergency.
(Photo Source: Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement)