Elk and safety: Animal rescued after Colorado cliffhanger

The elk became entangled in a rope at an ice climbing area in Lake City, south-western Colorado (Colorado Parks and Wildlife via AP)

Wildlife officials and climbers have rescued a bull elk by lowering it down a cliff after the animal became entangled in a rope at a popular ice climbing area in south-western Colorado.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officials said a group of ice climbers in Lake City encountered the distressed elk on Friday morning, and a CPW biologist darted the ungulate with a tranquiliser.