VANCOUVER – Angelika and Peter Langen, owners of the Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers, are no strangers to saving the lives of various creatures in need. But when they received a call on Monday afternoon that a baby moose was dead after being caught in a fence, they thought there was no way this story would have a happy ending.
One of the volunteers at the shelter had gone for a walk and had called the Langens about the calf. However, when he was on the phone with them the moose started moving.
Angelika and Peter raced to the site and found the calf, but were concerned because it looked like it had been laying down for quite some time. “When they regurgitate it can go into their lungs if they are laying down,” said Angelika.
As they were working to free the calf they saw the mother emerge from the woods. “At first we thought it was a wild moose and we were getting out of her way because they can be quite aggressive,” said Angelika.
However, it turns out the calf’s mother was a previous rescue from the Wildlife Society. Named Rain, she was rescued in 2011, and was still in the same area with her baby.
“It was just awesome,” said Angelika. “We thought we were going to get a dead calf and we ended up seeing one of our friends.”
The Langens saw the mother and baby today and both are doing well. Peter is now trying to get some updated images to share with their fans.
It is an incredibly busy time of year for the Wildlife Society however. They already have 36 orphaned bear cubs and Angelika is on her way to set a trap for one more tonight. “It’s amazing how many bears are out there and in need,” she said.
Donations are welcome for the shelter and the info can be found on their website or Facebook page. They can also be reached at (250) 847-5101.
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