A polar bear is shot by native hunters as it comes ashore to feast on the bloody carcass of a giant whale during brutal footage.

The magnificent hunter becomes the hunted as it is drawn by the sight and smell of the whale, strewn across the Arctic coast of Alaska.

Armed with rifles, the hunters fire off a number of shots at the apex predator, before it walks onto the shore and gnaws on the whale’s flesh.

Then, after his friends have ran off to safety, one gunman approaches, takes aim and shoots the polar bear in the head from close range – killing it instantly.

Beast: The polar bear is seen swimming towards the shore where a group of hunters are waiting by a whale carcass on the Arctic coast of Alaska

While the footage presents a sombre scene and is particularly upsetting for animal lovers, such a practice is not illegal in Alaska.

Natives are allowed to kill the spectacular predators for food and to use for crafts, as long as their manufacturing is not wasteful. There is also no limit on on how many of the bears they kill and when they do so.

However, whatever the rules of law - the shooting in the clip is unpleasant to watch.

The area has clearly already been the scene of an animal's death, so to see another Arctic giant cut down with such brutality is even more unsettling.

The footage begins with the polar popping his head out of the water as it swims towards the shore, which is covered with the blood and flesh of a recently deceased whale.

It is not clear whether the mammal was hunted by humans or another bear or predator, but it has been almost completely destroyed in the process.

Predator: Despite shots being fired, the polar bear still makes it to the shore - making some of the group, including a man with a young boy (left), run for safety

As the bear floats closer and closer the humans take aim and a round is fired off with a short cracking sound marking the bullet's trajectory.

However, it does not appear that the bear was hurt by the shot as it simply rises up higher out of the water before carrying on with its journey.

After the shot, members of the group can be seen smiling and uttering murmurs of excitement at the chance to hunt such a prize.

Feast: As the bear tears into the bloody carcass covering the stretch of coast, a hunter takes aim and shoots him from close range

Death: Tragically the bear lays slumped on the ice after it is brutally felled by the hunter - it is not clear why, but the killing could have been down to safety reasons

But when the polar bear reaches the shore, one man decides that it is too close for comfort, scooping up a young child in his arms and rushing him away from the scene.

At this point viewers are offered the chance to see the polar in all its intimidating and powerful glory as it plods across the ice on its all fours.