Two brown bears brawled over a carrot in front of stunned zoogoers before a third one stepped in to break up the fight.

Video footage captured on a visitor's phone shows the two beasts wrestling and grappling with each other while standing on their hind legs out in their open enclosure at Suzhou Wildlife Park, in Anhui, China.

Shouts of fear and awe could be heard in the background as the bears rowed over a carrot they both wanted.

Just as the fight was escalating, a third bear suddenly appeared to help, chasing off one bear by biting its leg and gradually forcing the other one to retreat.

It is unclear who won the carrot in the end following the clash on March 9.

The brown bear(Ursus arctos), also known as the grizzly bear in North America, is a large bear species found across much of Eurasia and North America.

It is characterised by its prominent shoulder hump, long claws, and thick fur, which can range in colour from light brown to almost black.

Brown bears are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of foods includingberries, nuts, fish, and small mammals.

They are solitary animals except during mating season and are known for their strength and formidable presence in their habitats.