A wild bear rummaged through a hotel to search for food in India.

The animal barged through the kitchen back door and sniffed around the counter to look for something to eat in Chhattisgarh in the early hours of the morning on August 31.

CCTV footage shows the bear checking the cabinets under the sink and turning to the counter behind where there were jars of spices.

The animal climbed up its front paws on the platform, but the containers were sealed, so it continued to search the room for edibles.

The hotel cook on night duty said they fled the kitchen to hide and waited until it left.

One of the cooks said: ‘Everyone ran for their lives when the bear entered the property. It went to the kitchen. We locked ourselves in another room while the customers were told to hide.'

The bear eventually found where the food supplies were hidden, and some items were destroyed.

No one was hurt, and the bear left afterwards.

India is home to four wild bear species. Major threats to the bears include habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. Conservation efforts are ongoing, but workers say more measures are needed for their protection.