Calf Rescued After Falling Into Abandoned Mine Shaft

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A calf fell into an abandoned mine shaft in the Campo Seco area of Calaveras County over the weekend, with its mother refusing to leave the scene. Firefighters responded and lowered food and water down to the calf, then used a backhoe loader the next day to lift the uninjured calf to safety and reunite it with its mother.

Why it matters

Abandoned mine shafts pose a serious risk to livestock and wildlife in rural areas, and this incident highlights the importance of properly securing or filling in these hazardous sites to protect local animals. The mother cow's devotion to her calf also demonstrates the strong bond between cattle.

The details

Calaveras Consolidated Fire reported that the calf fell about 30 feet down the abandoned mine shaft on Saturday. Firefighters arrived on the scene and found the calf uninjured, with the mother cow still at the site mooing in concern. Rather than attempt a risky rescue right away, the firefighters decided to lower food and water down to the calf and wait until the next day to get it out safely.

• The calf fell into the mine shaft on Saturday.
• Firefighters responded to the scene on Saturday.
• The calf was rescued and reunited with its mother on Sunday.

What’s next

Local authorities will likely work to properly secure or fill in the abandoned mine shaft to prevent future incidents involving livestock or wildlife.