This is the heartwarming moment a tourist rescued a big-headed turtle in Thailand.

The holidaymaker discovered the reptile with a broken shell and promptly called park staff, Prawit Jaikham, the chief of Wiang Kosai National Park, to dispatch an animal rescue team to the scene near Mae Koeng Luang waterfall in Phrae, Thailand, on October 26.

Upon arrival, the team found a long crack on the turtle's shell and a wound near its tail, possibly caused by a falling rock.

After assessing the animal's condition, they speculated that it may not have eaten for several days, as it appeared thin.

The team decided to transport the turtle in a vehicle for over 49.7 miles (80 kilometres) into the city to find an animal clinic for treatment.

The veterinarian said that the fracture occurred in an area without vital organs, so the turtle did not go into a coma. However, it reacted in pain when touched near its wound and tried to struggle.

'We cleaned the wound and temporarily repaired the shell with plasticine,' the medical practitioner added.

Local reports said that the vet also administered antibiotics and analgesics, along with other medication, until the turtle returned to normal and was able to be released back into the wild.

Prawit mentioned that he named the turtle Khamkaew after being asked by the doctor. The animal will be cared for at the clinic until it fully recovers.

The big-headed turtle is a species native to Southeast Asia and southern China. It is commonly found in fast-flowing streams and waterfalls in rocky areas across Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

This species is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is included in Appendix I of CITES, as well as being a protected animal under Thailand's Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act.