This is the incredible moment a trio of bears wave back at a zoo goer as they stand on their hind legs imitating his movements.

The brief but adorable exchange was captured by the man's girlfriend during a visit at a zoo in Tieling, in Liaoning Province, north-eastern China.

Footage shows the man named Mr Gao waving at the bears standing close to the fence at their enclosure.

He then asked him to 'wave back' and to his amazement, they began imitating his gesture with their front paws.

His girlfriend filming beside him can be heard laughing as the animals seemingly comprehended Mr Gao's words and gave an immediate response.

Mr Gao later said that he had noticed the bears coming towards them, so he decided to attempt to interact with them. He was surprised to see the bears play along right away and praised their intelligence.

The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus), also known as the moon bear due to the white crescent shape on its chest, is a medium-sized bear species native to Asia.

It has black fur, a robust build, and is known for its climbing abilities. These bear bears primarily inhabit forests and mountainous regions across several Asian countries.

They are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and are threatened by deforestation and poaching.