This is the terrifying moment a large wild yak chased a car as the frantic driver revered away to escape a deadly attack.

The shaggy-haired bovine had been grazing on the roadside when it saw passers-by gawping at it from inside their car as they drove through Shuanghu County in Tibet, China, on September 17.

Footage shows the agitated animal charging at the locals, with the driver hitting the reverse pedal as quickly as he could while the approaching beast ran after them.

When they had picked up enough speed that the yak could not keep up, it was seen turning back to resume grazing.

The shocked driver said: 'The yak was angry because we went into its area. I didn't want to risk it getting too close to the car, I don't think it was bluffing. I just reversed the car as quickly as possible.'

The wild yak is a large long-haired bovine native to the Himalayas. It is found primarily in northern Tibet and western Qinghai, and is believed to be the ancestor of the domesticated yak.

Wild yaks are listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List, mainly due to commercial poaching.