This is the amusing moment a curious baby elephant was spotted checking out a termite nest on a tree.

Zookeeper Mubyar Nur Khaliq spotted Nisa, the playful juvenile pachyderm, rubbing her trunk against the tree at Way Kambas National Park in Lampang, Indonesia.

Footage shows the curious young elephant with her mouth open, moving her trunk across the bark while resting her front feet on a mound on December 31.

She appeared to be searching for the insects inhabiting the tree.

Mubyar said: 'Nisa was very curious about the termites and was very excited to play with them. I could sense that she even wanted to destroy the nest with her foot.'

Elephants are known for their intelligence and dexterity, often using their trunks to manipulate objects, forage for food, and even assist other members of their herd.

Indonesia is home to approximately 1,700 elephants in the wild. However, in the last 25 years, the country has lost over 69 per cent of suitable Sumatran elephant habitat.

The main threats to these wild populations remain habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and human conflict.