An exhausted wild elephant was rescued Monday after it got stuck in a muddy puddle in Mengman Township in southwest China 's Yunnan Province, according to local border police.

Police at the border police station of Mengman Township in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, received a report Monday morning that a herd of wild Asian elephants were seen playing in a forest, but one of them fell into a muddy puddle.

A short video clip showed another elephant extending its hind leg in an attempt to reach the elephant stuck in the pond, as well as lying on the ground and removing mud from the pond with its hose. However, these efforts were unsuccessful and the trapped elephant was unable to climb the steep and slippery bank.

The police immediately reported the situation to the local government, forestry and grassland bureau as well as the forestry police brigade, and evacuated nearby residents before carrying out rescue efforts.

Equipment such as drones and excavators have been sent to the site.

At noon, the rescuers said, the elephant was still on the bank trying to remove mud from the pond, but to little effect.

Rescuers used an excavator to dig a passage, and the trapped elephant was finally able to get out.

Border police said the trapped adult elephant weighed about 2.5 tons. He returned to the nature reserve safe and sound, and joined the herd.

Wild Asian elephants, a key species in the rainforest, are under first-class national protection in China.

Thanks to strong efforts to protect the environment and wildlife, the number of wild Asian elephants in the country has grown to about 300, most of which are spread in Yunnan.