Stubborn bull saved from high waters in Itteren

The bull that has been blocked in by high water on a peninsula at the Maas bij Itteren and refused to leave has been freed from his plight and sailed to shore. This happened on Friday afternoon mainly due to the efforts from employees of Free Nature, who anesthetized then dragged it onto a boat using a winch and then sailed it to the safe shore at Itteren (municipality of Maastricht). There, the animal, still unconscious, reached the mainland.

Eventually, the bull slowly regained consciousness in Itteren with a vet by his side. When he regains his power, the bull will be brought to the nature area Terworm near Heerlen.

A spokesperson for the owner of Free Nature said on Friday that the animal had freed itself from the herd, which is now on the Belgian side of the nature area by Lanaken. She says that this is normal for a grown bull. The animal then decided to choose the headland as its own territory but was recently attacked there by the rapidly rising Meuse water. However, the stubborn bull did not want to budge or move from his own place. Attempts to lure the animal back to the Belgian herd with hay had been unsuccessful in recent days.

Free Nature ensured that the bull had enough hay and cow cakes in recent days to maintain his strength. It was decided on Friday to get the animal out using a boat. “I am thrilled that this worked,” the spokesperson for Free Nature added on Friday after the crossing.