The 107-stone animal fell into the two metre deep hole in the United States, and was unable to free himself from the mud.

The owners – who have several camels and run a children’s ministry in Oregon City – had tried to get the camel out themselves but failed.

“It was a little bit different than your typical cat in the tree,” said Lt. Jed Wachlin, a fireman from Clackamas.

“Nobody really believed it until we showed up.”

The rescuers were concerned Moses would break his legs if he’d try to free himself while still partially buried.

The firemen had to carefully shovel mud for several hours to free the animal, as the ground was not firm enough to bring heavy lifting equipment.

“It could have been our kids,” said Kim Dilworth, the camel’s owner, told Fox 12 Oregon.

“And Moses is [like] our child.”

A vet inspected the camel when he was released, and said it looked unhurt.

“We’re very fortunate to know that Moses was a part of their family here and we’re all about helping families get back together,” Lt Wachlin said.

MIAMI – A group of manatees looking for love are safe after being stranded in a shallow canal in Miami. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino said four or five male manatees were trying to mate with a female in the canal. Pino said the water in the canal may have been too dirty for the sea cows to see through. Wildlife officials managed to coerce all the manatees to swim out of the shallow area on Monday.

Pino said it’s not uncommon to see several manatees in one place during the summer, when mating is most frequent. Last year, ten manatees appeared on the shores of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea to mate.

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Information from: The Miami Herald, Original article