An Asian black bear fascinated zoo-goers when it stood up like a human in its enclosure.

The moon bear was eating the snacks being thrown into its shelter at the Night Safari Zoo in Chiang Mai, Thailand, when it suddenly stood upright.

Footage shows the animal casually balancing on its hind limbs like a man while waiting for more treats from tourists.

It bent forward to pick up food on the grassy ground with its mouth but returned to its straight, human-like stance to eat using its front limbs.

Tourist Yanakorn Suriyajai, who saw the bear from a tram ride attraction that went around the zoo, said: ‘We asked the caretakers if it was a real bear or someone in a costume. They said it was a real bear. It was so amazing.'

Last year a zoo in China had to deny that its bears were humans in disguise after a photo of a sun bear standing upright was captured by a visitor.

In the wild, bears often stand on their hind legs to reach high branches with fruits or nuts. Their long claws and flexible arms help them climb and grab food. Standing upright provides a better vantage point for bears to observe their environment, scan for potential threats, or search for mates.