A sloth bear sparked chaos when it ran across a road while it was being rescued in India.

The 136kg bear with black fur was first spotted by passing motorists as it was perched on top of a tree in Telangana on February 6.

But while authorities tried to catch it, the bear, also called the Indian bear, tried to escape and dashed along the path, scaring drivers and onlookers.

Footage shows the bear trying to evade the rescuers and causing panic among onlookers. A heavy traffic jam also ensued in the area due to the wild animal.

The forest rangers later caught it with tranquilisers before it was returned to the forest. The bear was safe as well as the locals in the area.

A sloth bear is a species of bear found in the Indian subcontinent. They are named for their slow-moving, sluggish habits and the word 'sloth' refers to their slowness.