Quick-thinking students used drones to rescue an endangered and severely injured deer while it was being attacked by dogs.

Two stray hounds were seen savagely biting a small muntjac deer that they had surrounded in front of a dorm at the Sanming Medical Science and Technology Vocational College, in the city of Sanming in Fujian Province, in south-eastern China.

Having seen the incident, worried students, who could not enter the closed dormitory decided on using alternate methods to chase away the two stray mutts.

In the video captured on December 4, they can be seen throwing water bottles to drive away the dogs, only for them to return again and attack the animal.

They then had the idea to scare them off by flying a few drones in their faces, ultimately succeeding in their goal.

Meanwhile, police officers who were alerted of the incident rushed to the scene to rescue the wounded deer and take it to vets at an animal shelter.

The students were praised for their quick-thinking rescue.

The black muntjac deer (Muntiacus crinifrons) is a rare and elusive species native to Southeast Asia.

It is distinguished by its dark-coloured fur, ranging from deep brown to black, which helps it blend into the dense vegetation of its habitat.

The black muntjac is a small-sized deer with a compact build, short legs, and, in males, small antler-like tusks. Due to habitat loss and hunting pressures, it is currently listed as 'endangered' on the IUCN Red List.