Video: Moose takes a dive off a cliff in Newfoundland
Video of a moose diving a cliff in Nipper’s Harbour, Newfoundland has gone viral.
Alyssa Hewlett was with her fiancé when they spotted a moose on a cliff that appeared to be struggling, so they took their speedboat out to get a closer look.
"The moose slid down the cliff and fell into the water. We thought he would strike the rocks below but luckily he made it safely and swam next to us for a while," Hewlett told Reuters.
"We tried to lead him into the shore so he would be okay. It was the most amazing experience for both of us. Once in a lifetime experience for sure."
In response to the video, a wildlife official with the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources told The Weather Network in an email "it is unlikely the animal made a conscious effort to jump from the cliff."
"More likely, it slipped due to losing its footing, panicking, or both. Based on the video, the moose appears to have landed safely and no worse for the event. Moose are excellent swimmers – they can swim at a rate of 5-6 kilometres per hour, and have been recorded swimming up to 20 kilometres."
According to the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, moose will also sometimes dive to access aquatic plants they can't get to from the surface.
"Based on the video, the moose appears to have landed safely and no worse for the event," the official said.
Hewitt told The Weather Network she watched the moose emerge from the water and head towards land after the fall.
"He didn't seem like he was in distress ... we had a couple of negative comments [on YouTube] saying we drove him to jump, but we were far enough away. We didn't have anything to do with what he did."