This is the moment two exhausted deer are rescued after they were spotted four miles out to sea swimming for their lives off the rugged Alaskan coast.

The pair, filmed in the region’s Clarence Straight, were swimming between islands when they ran out of steam, according to wildlife officers.

The footage, filmed by the Alaskan Wildlife Troopers, shows how close to death the deer came.

As they rest on the deck after being hauled aboard the troopers’ boat, the soaked-to-the-skin pair sit shivering as they try to warm up.

Later, the deer are seen being released safely on dry land.

One trooper can be heard saying in the video: “I’m soaked to the bone. I had to pick them up and bear hug them and get them off our deck and on the beach.”

He added: “They were in rough shape. They’re going to warm up once they get moving.”

Justin Freeman, a spokesperson for Alaska State Troopers, told local media: “Both deer ran into the side of the boat with their heads, indicating they wanted on board.

“The deer quickly swam over to the troopers on the swim step and let the troopers remove them from the water and place them on the back deck.”