This is the moment an angry yak forces a group of intrepid mountaineers to leap out of the way on a narrow mountain path so it can get through.

Video footage shows the small group of mountaineers suddenly coming face-to-face with the yak as they walked through the snow at Qinghai Mengda National Nature Reserve in China on April 5.

With some of them shouting in shock, the mountaineers then fled in panic. Despite some of them ending up wet no one was injured.

A park spokesman said that the area was currently closed and no one was supposed to be entering, and they were investigating exactly where it happened.

The filmer said: 'We were attacked by a yak while trekking in the snow. Fortunately, no one was injured.'

The Qinghai Mengda National Nature Reserve is located in Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Haidong City, Qinghai, with a total area of ​​17,290 hectares.

It was approved as a national nature reserve in April 2000 and it primarily focuses on protecting forest ecosystems and lakes.

A spokesman told local media that the part was only open from May until November, with security guards patrolling the entrances, and if they could find the climbers they would 'educate them'.

They said that not only was it dangerous because of the heavy snow but also there were no rescue teams in place and they were not prepared for emergencies given that no people were supposed to be inside the park.

The spokesman added that wild yaks have never been found in the reserve before. They suspect the yak could have been released by nearby herders.