This lamb was stuck in a crack in the Earth after the 7.8 quake that struck Canterbury. Photo / Tonkin+Taylor
A picture has emerged of a lamb rescued from a deep crack in the Earth after the Kaikoura earthquake.
Environmental consultants Tonkin+Taylor tweeted a picture of the animal stuck in the fissure.
Geologist Richard Phillips found and rescued the lamb after it was stuck at Waiau after the 7.8 magnitude quake.
Phillips was inspecting the area to open the emergency road after the quake when he found the lamb.
He was unsure how long it had been down the crack, but thought it couldn't have been too long as the lamb was not too dirty or tired.
He got into the crack and lifted the lamb out and the animal wandered off to find its family.
"It seemed happy enough," Phillips said.
He took a photo to show his 10- and 12-year-old daughters.
"I thought they'd quite enjoy it.
"They thought it was cute."
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The rescue comes after University of Canterbury students and staff found another lamb while they were walking over farmland north of Waiau in quake-ravaged Canterbury.
Geological Sciences professor Dr Clark Fenton said the five-strong team was tracing where new faults had torn and ripped through the earth when they stumbled across the lamb in strife.
Paddocks on the farm had been left with deep tears and fissures more than 2m wide and 1.5m deep.
While walking along one of the fault traces members of the team spotted the baby animal trapped in a 1.5m deep fissure.
The team set about rescuing the stricken animal, which had no way of getting out of the fissure on its own.
The heartwarming animal rescues came after a trio of cattle, including a calf, were filmed marooned on a small grass island, their paddock collapsed around them. The animals eventually made their way down to join the rest of the herd after a farmer dug a trench.
The footage captured international headlines with concern focusing on the plight of the "quake cows". Those troubled by their fate included Australian TV celebrity vet Dr Chris Brown and animal rights organisation Peta.
Fenton said the team was carrying out reconnaissance investigations into the vast new complex zone of faults after the Kaikoura quake.
It was focusing on the North Culverden Basin and along the Inland Rd as far as Mt Lyford and aimed to carry out a detailed survey of newly found faults.
A police spokesperson said the report came through about 7.30pm.