A wild sika deer was spotted for the first in 40 years in a city in eastern China.

CCTV footage filmed in the city of Huangshan in Anhui Province on October 17 shows a dog chasing after a sika deer.

According to the dog's owner, the pooch found the 0.5-metre-tall and 1.5-metre-long sika deer eating vegetables in his field.

A senior engineer of the Garden Bureau of Huangshan Scenic Area Management Committee named Ye Yaoqing said: "The wild sika deer disappeared in the late 1970s and this is the first time we've seen it again in 40 years."

The local villagers protected the sika deer and allowed it to return back to the wild.

The video was provided by local media with permission.

黄山风景区公安局森林警察接报：疑似“梅花鹿”被家犬追逐。

经调查后，民警确认该动物系国家一级保护野生动物梅花鹿，实角完好，雄性，身高约50厘米，长约150厘米，很有可能从附近跑下山觅食。

“黄山野生梅花鹿早年生活在黄山大小洋湖附近，上世纪七十年代后期就不见踪影了，此次发现的野生梅花鹿踪迹是四十年来的首次。”黄山风景区管委会园林局高级工程师叶要清说。

该梅花鹿在村民的保护下回归山林。

10月17日，安徽黄山，一只梅花鹿出现在黄山区黄山风景区汤口镇猴谷景区浮溪村。据当事人介绍，是他家养的一条狗发现的，鹿还在他家菜园吃了一点菜，然后又跑回山上去了。这只梅花鹿近一米高，目前，相关部门介入调查。（视频由安徽台提供）