A brave muntjac deer has stunned onlookers by squaring up to a 2000kg rhinoceros at a Polish zoo.
In a video that has since gone viral on social media, the 22kg deer named Mundzak didn’t back down from Maruska the rhino in her snowy enclosure at Wroclaw Zoo in Poland, and instead went head-to-head with the massive animal.
“Someone probably forgot to look in the mirror this morning,” Wroclaw Zoo said in their Instagram post.
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After a brief standoff, Mundzak charged and lowered his head straight into Maruska’s horn.
Seemingly in disbelief, Maruska shook her head a couple of times before making her move on the tiny deer.
The two then chased each other back and forth in what looked like two friends play fighting.
Wroclaw Zoo said it was Mundzak’s built up testosterone that caused the scuffle.
“He has to discharge energy and show who’s boss – even if the sparring partner weighs 1.7 tons,” they said.
“Who would have thought that such a warrior sleeps in this tiny body?”
The pair have remained friends despite their tussle, and were pictured munching on some hay together in a follow-up post by Wroclaw Zoo with the caption: “And what does their relationship look like every day? Exactly as you can see on this video”.
Mundzak and Maruska remain friends despite their tussle, and were pictured munching on some hay together. Credit: zoowroclaw/Instagram
The post also said that Mundzak the deer is known as “Daddy Munchin” by the caregivers, and that the pair have lived together for years.
“Rhinos with munchkins have lived together in our zoo for years, they have separate bedrooms, but a common ‘yard’. They ate hay together from more than one plate and, as you can see, there is usually full agreement here.”
Wroclaw Zoo ended the post saying that while Mundzak and Maruska’s battle is natural behaviour for the animals, it is rare.
“Dad Mundzak defended his territory because the female has a ravine. Maru rakka treated it as a form of fun.
“Luckily she is very delicate and remembers that she weighs about 100 times more than her colleague!”
