This is the dramatic moment a wild elephant charged at a youngster trying to clear the herd from a road.

The concerned local attempted to shoo the female jumbo off the highway when one of them chased him away in India on January 12.

Footage shows the man turning on his heels and running away as the elephant dashes toward him.

The animal can be seen lifting its trunk, seemingly giving a warning to the lad, before walking off along with its family toward the lush pastures on the other side of the street.

The local did not sustain any injuries from the incident. Experts said that elephants subjected to human harassment or annoyance may exhibit various behavioural changes.

Signs of stress in elephants include increased tail swishing, head shaking, trumpeting, and mock charges.

Studies have shown that human disturbances can lead to the production of glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), indicating heightened stress levels in elephants.

The subcontinent has at least 30,000 wild elephants—more than any other country and approximately 60 per cent of the world's entire Asian elephant population.