An endangered deer was rescued after being seen frantically swimming in the sea while fleeing wild dogs.

District sheriff Theerapong Chuaychoo was patrolling the coast when he noticed the frightened animal in the water in Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand last Thursday (October 3).

He contacted the Siam Ruamjai rescuer team, who brought equipment on a second vessel to catch the frightened Sambar deer, an endangered species.

They arrived and found a large, adult female Sambar deer floating 4.3 miles (7km) away from the shore at Khanom Bay .

Together with the local fishermen they ushered the deer back to dry land.

Rescuer Chaichana Sae-ui said many deer had become disorientated and wandered into nearby villages after the government built the road through the park. He said that stray dogs often chased them into the ocean.

Chaichana said: "They used to stay in the park but after the government opened the road through the park, they started to lose their way and walk into the village more often.

"There were times when we found they died from accidents that should not have happened. They have been hit by cars or drown in the sea after they run there when they are chased by the stray dogs.

"It is quite clear that the road built by the government has had more negative impact than positive."

Sambar deer have been classified as a vulnerable species since 2008. There are believed to be around 100 of them living in the Hat Khanom-Mu Ko Thale Tai national park.