South Indian forest officials encountered an intelligent elephant that managed to outsmart them by crossing a trench dug specifically to stop it.

The team at the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka had dug a 3-metre wide and 2-metre deep trench to keep elephants away from nearby villages.

However villagers began complaining that an elephant had figured out a way to cross the trench, raid their crops and slip back to the forest.

So, on December 8, a team of forest officials kept watch near the spot where the elephant made its reported crossing, and recorded it stepping over a narrow point on the trench.

The behemoth stood crouching for a moment and first used its trunk to get a grip on the other side of the trench.

It then carefully put forward its forelimbs, ensured it had enough support, and then moved its hind legs to cross over to the village, where the undefended crops were waiting to be eaten.

Officials said they were impressed with the animal but would widen the trench to keep it away.