This is the heartbreaking moment a badly injured bear with a crushed and bleeding paw sits by the side of the road, seemingly pleading with the people in a passing car for help.

Footage shows the Asian black bear with a mangled left foot sitting by the side of the G331 National Highway near the city of Yichun, in China's northern Heilongjiang Province, on July 15.

The poor animal was in obvious pain as it waited by the roadside in need of aid.

As one car slowly approached it, the bear dragged itself away on three legs and hid behind a road barrier.

Then, it pitifully lifted its head up from behind the barrier looking at the passengers in the car as they were filming as if to let them know it needed urgent help.

The video was taken by an unnamed woman who said she had hitched a ride in the car when they came across the injured animal.

The driver said: 'Today on the G331 National Highway, I saw a black bear squatting in the middle of the road.

'I slowly stopped my car and noticed that one of its legs was at least fractured. It was surrounded by many flies, indicating it was likely infected.

'The bear crawled back behind the fence and looked at us with a pained expression as if asking for help. We could only throw some food to it.'

The man added that they had reported the animal's exact location to forestry officials.

The LuobeiCounty Forestry and Grassland Bureau, along with forest police, said they have already started searching for the injured bear and plan to provide necessary assistance upon finding it.

A notice was posted in the area to caution passers-by and protect the black bear.