A rare wild elk creates excitement after it is seen in waters in Rudong county, Nantong, in Jiangsu province. [Photo/rdxmt.com]

Two wild elks caused a commotion after they were spotted recently in Rudong county, Nantong, Jiangsu province.

Rudong's wildlife shelter said that the two bull elks had to be rescued by their staff and bystanders after they were found trapped in a mud flat area in the county.

It's the third sighting of near-extinct wild elk in Rudong county over the past few years, said Yang Guofu, an official at the county's natural resources department.

He said that the two wild elks may have come from a protected elk area in Dafeng district, Yancheng city.

“The protected area in Dafeng started releasing rescued elk into the wild in 1998, ” Yang noted.

He added that the two elk had stayed in Rudong for more than a week and it is likely that they will now settle in the county.

Wildlife officials in the county are reminding the public to leave any elk, or other wild animals they may encounter, alone. If it's believed the animals need rescuing, it is better to mark the location and contact the wildlife shelter in a timely fashion, officials said.

Rudong is putting a lot of efforts into repopulating the near-extinct elk and other rare animals.

Moves have been made to steadily push forward improvements to the ecology and environment by improving sewage treatment and advancing the green development of industries.

Over the past few years, more than 30 varieties of endangered animals have been found in Rudong, officials said.