This is the moment a group of about a dozen deer were spotted struggling to swim in a raging sea in the middle of the night.

The animals were spotted at nighttime in the waters of the coastal district of Dafeng in Chinese Jiangsu Province.

The footage, which was shared on Douyin, which is a Chinese version of TikTok, shows the group of animals sticking close to each other as they circle around in the troubled water.

A witness reportedly said that the deer finally managed to reach the shore on their own.

Deer are said to be good swimmers and well-equipped to handle such situations – capable of covering long distances when there are no waves against them.

While some species may not typically venture into the water, their survival often depends on access to wetland habitats where they need to be able to swim.

The video aroused concern among social media viewers.

User ‘He Ming Jiugao’ commented: “The result of human interference.”

Another user ‘Vicissitudes’ wrote: “The deer are swimming in a group, what are you worried about?”

And user ‘Cloud’ said: “The deer are taking a bath.”