An endangered Malayan tapir stuck in a ditch at a farm was rescued.

The 31.4st (200kg) female rare mammal strayed from the forest into a banana plantation looking for food when it fell into the drain in Johor, Malaysia, on September 19.

Footage shows farmers and volunteers helping to lift the heavy animal from the sludge.

They tied a rope around its upper body to carry it, while another used a plank to wedge it out of the trench drain.

Pontian Civil Defence Force officer Captain Muhammad Izuddin Ali said: ‘The tapir was likely lost based on information from villagers that have never seen the animal before.'

Five rescue officers rushed to the area upon being reported by the locals who volunteered to assist with the operation.

Captain Muhammad added: ‘Thank God that after four hours of effort, the team and villagers managed to lift the tapir.'

Officers evacuated the tapir and took it to a Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks facility for proper handling and care before its release.

The Malayan tapir is a large, plant-eating animal with a short trunk-like nose. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies it as endangered. It is the only tapir species found in Asia, inhabiting parts of Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Indonesia, particularly tropical rainforests.