A scaredy-cat bear stood up to a tiger in a face off before turning tail and running away when it ran towards him.

Photographer Nilesh Shah, 46, was travelling through Ranthambore National Park, India, when two of the country’s apex predators came face to face on a path in front of him.

Dramatic footage shows the sloth bear initially stand up in the face of its rival, apparently to prove its size advantage.

However, as soon as the tiger broke into a jog, the bear immediately turned in the opposite direction before sprinting up a nearby hill.

Nilesh said: “I was on cloud nine and had goosebumps from seeing this. These moments are very rare to get in wild and I was so happy to be that close to it.

“There was a faceoff between two. When we came across the two of them, the tiger was already down on the road stalking the bear.

“The bear stood up showing he's no less than a match for the majestic male cat. These moments sometimes turn out in an ugly ones where they both fight .

“The tension lasted for about a minute before the bear ran up a cliff into the bushes. The tiger gave a mock charge but didn’t chase upwards.”