This is the touching moment a group of wildlife rangers rescued a baby elephant which was trapped in a mud hole.

The footage, shot by a tourist on January 13 in Addo Elephant Park in South Africa, shows the little elephant struggling to get out of the hole as older elephants from the herd attempt to free him.

According to the filmer, the elephants were trying for several hours and even called for help from other members of the herd.

After hours of struggle, the rangers in the park arrived in a jeep -scaring the elephants away - and managed to free the baby elephant.

The little one was quickly reunited with the rest of the herd.

Writes the filmer: ''The baby elephant had become stuck upside down while the family was drinking from the watering hole, it had been stuck for most of the day.

''The older elephants had been attempting to free it by pushing it with their feet for several hours.

''The elephants were becoming increasingly stressed and their cries for help had brought in a large herd.

''Due to the fact that this was taking place so near to the secure 'main camp' of the park, the Rangers were forced to resolve the situation by freeing the baby elephant.''

The video was filmed from a 'hide' which looks out into the Addo Elephant Park.
The baby elephant had become stuck upsidedown while the family were drinking from the watering hole, it had been stuck for most of the day (video was filmed in the early afternoon) the older elephants had been attempting to free it by pushing it it with their feet for several hours.

The elephants were becoming increasingly stressed and their cries for help had brought in a large herd. Elephants are extremely compassionate animals and have been known to mourn the death of family members for extended periods of time.

Due to the fact that this was taking place so near to the secure 'main camp' of the park, the rangers were forced to resolve the situation by freeing the baby elephant. This meant they would need to scare all the others away from the area in order to execute the operation