Moment two kayakers wade into water to save an exhausted moose calf

Astonishing footage captures the moment two kayakers wade into rough water to save an exhausted moose calf from drowning in a fast-moving river.

The clip follows firefighter Scott Linton and his friend Benny Clark as they move quickly to save the calf after she fell into the Sheep River in Alberta, Canada.

The two kayakers had been enjoying a morning paddle on the river near Turner Valley when they spotted the female moose balancing on a ledge above the water.  

But as they considered how to reach the calf, she fell into the fast-moving river.

Footage from the rescue captures Mr Linton as he races through the rough water to reach the desperate animal – who is rapidly being swept away by the current. 

Astonishing footage captures firefighter Scott Linton (above) and his friend Benny Clark as they move quickly to save a moose calf after she fell into the Sheep River in Alberta, Canada

He clings onto a safety rope held by Mr Clark and thankfully manages to grab hold of the panicked calf as she passes him. 

Mr Linton then wades back to shore with the moose, who he explains is ‘pretty cold’ but doesn’t appear to have any injuries.   

The pair let the moose go moments later, and the calf slowly makes her way back towards the nearby woodland.

Posting on Instagram, Mr Clark assured well wishers that the moose’s mother was nearby when they released it following the ordeal. 

Footage from the rescue captures Mr Linton as he races through the rough water to reach the desperate animal – who is rapidly being swept away by the current

He clings onto a safety rope held by Mr Clark and thankfully manages to grab hold of the panicked calf as she passes him

He said: ‘Dawn patrol on the sheep turned into a quick and clean rescue with @rivers4slinton and the cutest Canadian ever.’

The kayaker added he has previously pulled a fallen animal out of the Red Deer River in Saskatchewan. 

Speaking to CBC News, his fellow rescuer Mr Linton explained how the young moose was already wet and shivering when they spotted it on a ledge above the river.

He added that the animal was perched around 100 metres from an area of rapids, so the pair had to move quickly in their rescue attempt. 

The pair let the moose go moments later, and she slowly made her way towards nearby woodland

Posting on Instagram, Mr Clark assured well wishers that the moose’s mother was nearby when they released it. Pictured: Mr Linton with the rescued calf

However, as they considered their next move, the moose fell into the water.

Mr Linton said: ‘That’s when I grabbed the rope and ran out.

‘Ideally, we would have tied my end to me but it was too quick for that … so I just held on basically for some support and ran out.’ 

He added the calf was clearly exhausted from her ordeal, saying:  ‘I’m sure that the firefighting definitely played in it. 

‘You just see something that needs to be fixed and you try to fix it. That’s kind of the role.’  

Mr Clark (above), an avid whitewater paddler, told Global News that he treated the rescue as if he was saving a person

Mr Clark, an avid whitewater paddler, told Global News that he treated the rescue as if he was saving a person.

He added: ‘You just go in the mode, serious, get it done. Kind of just acted like a human being going by.

‘I think it was partly our fault, so getting her out of the river, it was we should have done.’

The pair believe the calf – who they nicknamed Mindy – was around two to four weeks old.