Dramatic moment brave tiny deer takes on a giant 1.7 ton RHINO in zoo standoff

THIS is the moment a tiny deer took on an enormous rhinoceros, in a David and Goliath battle for the ages.

In wild video footage, the little, brave muntjac deer dared to challenge the 1.7-ton rhino – named Maruśka – with no hesitation.

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The unlikely match up was caught on video in their shared enclosure on ThursdayCredit: X

The little deer charged at the giant rhino without hesitationCredit: X

The pair had their battle of skulls in the snowCredit: x.com

The unlikely sparring partners clashed in the snow at Wrocław Zoo in Poland.

At the beginning of the clash, Maruśka nodded her head up and down twice, in a move that would daunt even the bravest of hearts.

Despite punching well above his weight, the pint-sized male deer took the challenge and charged without hesitation.

Catapulting himself front-on, the deer and Maruśka knocked heads before backing up from each other.

Preparing for the second round, the deer observed the rhino, while Maruśka jumped excitedly between her front legs.

The pair lightly bump heads again before edging away from each other.

In their third round, the video shows Maruśka faking out of a colossal head-bang, making it seem as though the two are playfighting.

Throughout the entire encounter, the deer does not shy away from the confrontation once.

Keeping its head low, it challenges Maruśka at every turn, eventually coming out victorious.

The triumphant little creature pranced away in the shared enclosure before the video cut out.

The footage was posted to social media by zoo staff, with the caption “Someone forgot to look in the mirror this morning!”

The staff member said Maruśka had “the patience of a saint” before explaining the tiny deer’s audacious behaviour.

“His partner is in heat, and the bachelor is pumping with testosterone,” they said of the little animal.

“He needs to release his energy and show who’s boss — even if his sparring partner weighs 1.7 tons.  

“Who would have thought that such a warrior could be hidden in that tiny body?” 

The muntjac measured in at an estimated half-metre tall at the shoulder.

The tiny deer had no problems taking on its giant opponentCredit: X

The pair went for three rounds before the deer came out victoriousCredit: x.com

The deer took no pauses in its challengeCredit: x.com

The species is a small, reddish-brown deer native to southeastern China and Taiwan.

They are often referred to as the “barking deer” due to distinctive dog-like vocalisations.

The deer are highly adaptable and live in habitats ranging from snowy temperate forests to subtropical jungles.

The tiny animals often coexist with rhinos, according to hoofed animal keeper Maciej Okupnik.

“Both in our facility and in the wild, Reeves’s muntjacs and rhinos live side-by-side and interact constantly,” Okupnik said.

Okupnik told Polish media that the two species typically stay away from each other, as they have differing methods of marking their territory.

The pair were seen sparring in the snow in their shared enclosureCredit: x.com

The little deer is a species native to China and TaiwanCredit: x.com

“Muntjacs are fiercely territorial; they mark their territory using scent glands located around their eyes,” he said.

“Rhinos, on the other hand, are generally tolerant of other animals on their turf – after all, they aren’t afraid of anyone except tigers.  

“For the most part, they just mind their own business,” he added. 

The clash captured hearts online, with people flooding the comments on social media platform X.

“The Rhino just wants to have fun,” one person said.

Another quipped: “Arguing with the Mrs”.

A third said: “Recess, the kids are just playing.”