Without crucial help from New York state officials, a bull moose could have found itself stranded in icy waters for much longer than just a few hours.

A local resident alerted the authorities, reporting that the moose had fallen through the ice into the chilly waters of Lake Abanakee around 11 a.m. on January 16, as stated in a press release from the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. Located in the town of Indian Lake, Lake Abanakee is situated about 120 miles northeast of Syracuse.

“There’s no guidebook for rescuing a moose from the ice,” said Robert Higgins, a lieutenant with the environmental conservation police.

Nevertheless, he and fellow forest rangers devised a plan to free the moose by cutting a channel through the ice using a chainsaw.

Video showcases the ‘incredible’ rescue of the moose from the freezing waters

Forest ranger Evan Nahor sliced through the ice while Higgins removed the ice chunks, allowing the moose a path to escape.

“It was fortunate that we knew when the moose fell in; we realized time was critical, but we also knew we could accomplish our task efficiently,” Nahor remarked. “It was about making the best use of our available resources.”

Nahor and forest ranger Matt Savarie then assisted the moose toward shallow water close to the shore. After being freed from the icy grip, the moose struggled several times before finally managing to stand up.

Once on its feet, the moose quickly made its way into the forest. Later identified as a bull moose that had shed its antlers, it had spent nearly two hours submerged before being rescued.

“It was phenomenal,” Higgins said. “I was genuinely amazed it managed to haul itself out onto the ice after being in the water for two hours because it was extremely fatigued. It was shivering and barely had any strength left, so it was quite a moment when it finally made it onto the ice.”