Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
This is the moment Spanish Civil Guard cops deliver a calf in a muddy field when the cow was found to be too weak to continue alone and rooks and ravens attacked in anticipation of the animals’ death.
The incident took place at the Montana Palentina National Park in the Spanish province of Palencia when officers of the Nature Protection Service (Seprona), a unit of the Civil Guard, were patrolling the area.
Two officers, identified as Pedro Pablo Garcia and Roberto Blanco, saw the pregnant cow not moving on the grass while ravens, rooks and jackdaws were flying overhead.
However, the officials realised the cow was in labour and still just about able to move its legs.
Meanwhile, the calf’s front legs and mouth were crowning, which had reportedly been pecked by eager birds, causing its tongue to bleed and its head to swell.
Realising that the cow was too weak to deliver the calf by herself, the cops sprung into action.
Pedro said: “At first, Roberto started to pull the calf out, but he couldn’t do it all by himself so we both pulled. The more we pulled, the more the cow helped us.”
According to local media, the officers cleaned up the calf’s nose and mouth and handed it to the cow.
The mum managed to start licking her offspring after regaining a little strength.
Reports said that the cow’s owner arrived to the field and thanked the officers for their assistance, adding that the animals would probably have died without their help.
The calf has been named Alumno (Student) in honour of Roberto who has the same nickname.
Pedro said that they went back to check on the animals two days later, adding: “Alumno was fine, but its tongue injury is a bit of a problem as it is not breastfeeding well. It is a complicated situation, but time will tell.”
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