This is the moment a herd of elephants rescue a calf from drowning in a South Africa national park.

The footage, filmed in Kruger National Park on April 9, shows the baby elephant getting rescued after its herd realise it had wandered into deep waters.

"Not much mercy when you are a young elephant, it's sink or swim!" the filmer - a regular to the area - can be heard saying in his native Afrikaans to his wife in the video.

He later told Newsflare: “We feared for the worst, with the baby elephant frantically trying not to drown while any commotion in the water is usually a dinner bell for one of the many large crocodiles frequenting the deep waters.”

“The herd finally realised that the calf was missing and going to drown when the mother and three others in the herd raced back through the water to attempt a rescue mission,” he continued.

The baby elephant managed to get onto the back of one of the elephants but it was not long before it fell behind again, making the mother elephant turn around again to go and rescue her seriously struggling baby.

With incredible teamwork, the elephants finally managed to get under the baby to push it forward and lift it to the river bank to be reunited with its herd.

While relaxing on the viewing deck of a private camp in the Kruger Park, we noticed a herd of elephants crossing the deep river that is situated in front of the lodge. The river was so deep at places that only the trunks of the adult elephants were sticking out above water. Majority of the herd already crossed when we suddenly noticed a tiny baby elephant still way behind in the middle of the river. It was struggling to keep its head above water, treading water while gulping for air through its trunk. I grabbed my camera and started filming. Surprisingly it took a while for the elephants to realize that the baby was left behind. We feared for the worst, with the baby elephant frantically trying not to drown while any commotion in the water is usually a dinner bell for one of the many large crocodiles frequenting the deep waters. The herd eventually realized one member was missing. The mother elephant and three other elephants quickly raced back through the water in an attempt to rescue the baby elephant. The baby elephant managed to get onto the back of one of the elephants. It was not long before it fell off, falling behind again. The mother elephant had to turn around again to go and rescue her seriously struggling baby. The elephants made an attempt to get under the baby to push it forward. Through pushing and lifting the baby elephant through the last part of the river, the rescue party managed to safely get the baby elephant to the other side. Everyone was stunned by this incredible scene and fascinated to see the determined teamwork to rescue the baby elephant.

Translations (Afrikaans):
@ 00:29 I say “ Now They are starting to drag it along with them” .....that’s when they got hold of it the first time
@00:36 “Oooh there it makes a u turn again!” .....the baby was disoriented and kept wanting to swim back to where it came from.
@00:40 “ Now it’s on its mothers back
@00:47 “ Not much mercy when you a young elephant, it’s sink or swim
@1:30 I confirm to people it’s still struggling, some couldn’t see so nicely.
@02:31 “ Yes it is definitely out”