Current:Home > NewsDeer struggling in cold Alaskan waters saved by wildlife troopers who give them a lift in their boat-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Deer struggling in cold Alaskan waters saved by wildlife troopers who give them a lift in their boat
View Date:2024-12-23 22:47:09
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Two deer struggling in the waters of southeast Alaska’s famed Inside Passage finally made it to land, thanks to two Alaska Wildlife Troopers who gave the deer a lift in their boat.
Sgt. Mark Finses and trooper Kyle Fuege were returning from a patrol in nearby Ernest Sound to Ketchikan on Oct. 10 when they spotted the deer, agency spokesperson Justin Freeman said in an email to The Associated Press.
The deer were about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from any island in the channel, which is favored by large cruise ships taking tourists in summer months to locations such as Ketchikan and Juneau.
The deer were floating down Clarence Strait about 14 miles (22.5 kilometers) northwest of Ketchikan, but not toward any particular island, Freeman said. They were fighting the current during midtide.
“Out in the middle of Clarence, they’re in rough shape, like on their last leg,” Finses said on a video he shot with his phone and that the troopers posted to social media.
The troopers stopped their 33-foot (10-meter) patrol vessel about 150 yards (137 meters) from the two deer, which saw the boat and headed toward it. The troopers shut off the engines so the animals wouldn’t be spooked.
When the deer reached the boat, they butted their heads against it, then swam right up the swim step, at which point the troopers helped them get the rest of the way onboard. Once in the boat, the deer shivered from their time in the cold water.
“I’m soaked to the bone,” Finses says on the video. “I had to pick them up and bear hug them to get them off our deck and get them on the beach.”
Once back on land, the deer initially had difficulty standing and walking, Freeman said. But eventually, they were able to walk around slowly before trotting off.
“The deer ended up being completely OK,” he said.
It’s common to see deer swimming in southeast Alaska waters, going from one island to another; what’s not common is to have deer swim up to a boat and try to get on it, Freeman said.
veryGood! (22598)
Related
- The USDA is testing raw milk for the avian flu. Is raw milk safe?
- Kim Pegula visits Bills training camp, her first public appearance since cardiac arrest
- Kentucky education commissioner leaving for job at Western Michigan University
- Lady Gaga Pens Moving Tribute to Collaborator Tony Bennett After Very Long and Powerful Goodbye
- Champions Classic is for elite teams. So why is Michigan State still here? | Opinion
- Extreme Rain From Atmospheric Rivers and Ice-Heating Micro-Cracks Are Ominous New Threats to the Greenland Ice Sheet
- Alabama health care providers sue over threat of prosecution for abortion help
- French embassy in Niger is attacked as protesters waving Russian flags march through capital
- Denzel Washington Will Star in Black Panther 3 Before Retirement
- Erykah Badu flirts with crush John Boyega onstage during surprise meeting: Watch
Ranking
- Stocks soared on news of Trump's election. Bonds sank. Here's why.
- Randy Meisner, founding member of the Eagles, dies at 77
- The Women’s World Cup has produced some big moments. These are some of the highlights & lowlights
- Brazil denies U.S. extradition request for alleged Russian spy Sergey Cherkasov
- Agents search home of ex-lieutenant facing scrutiny as police probe leak of school shooting evidence
- Georgia resident dies from rare brain-eating amoeba, likely infected while swimming in a lake or pond
- Phoenix sees temperatures of 110 or higher for 31st straight day
- Lady Gaga honors Tony Bennett in touching post after death: 'Will miss my friend forever'
Recommendation
-
Cruise ship rescues 4 from disabled catamaran hundreds of miles off Bermuda, officials say
-
Pennsylvania schools face spending down reserves or taking out loans as lawmakers fail to act
-
6 hit in possible intentional vehicular assault, police say
-
Girl, 6, is latest child to die or be injured from boating accidents this summer across US
-
Florida man’s US charges upgraded to killing his estranged wife in Spain
-
Pee-Wee Herman Actor Paul Reubens Dead at 70 After Private Cancer Battle
-
T3 Hair Tools Blowout Sale: Curling Irons, Hair Dryers, and Flat Irons for Just $60
-
Sweden leader says clear risk of retaliatory terror attacks as Iran issues threats over Quran desecration