
This is the moment three terrified bear cubs scrambled up a tree trunk to safety after they were approached by an aggressive male.

The animals were play-fighting in a forest in Suomussalmi, eastern Finland, when the male bear began to stare at them.

Seconds later their mother gave a warning sound and the bears clambered out of danger.

The stunning images, which show the cubs inching up the tree, were taken by Valtteri Mulkahainen, who hid in a shelter to ensure he did not scare the animals.

The 54-year-old said: 'The bears were playing but they always stayed close by the mother who would often feed them milk.

'The next thing we knew there was a big male bear approaching them and the mother bear made noises that ordered the cubs to climb the tree.

'When the big male bear left, the mother bear signalled the cubs to come down and they began to fight among themselves.'

Male brown bears can weigh up to 635kg and have been known to kill cubs.

This is the moment three terrified bear cubs started scrambling up a tree trunk to safety after they were approached by an aggressive male in Suomussalmi, eastern Finland

As their mother stands guard, one cub can be seen inching slowly up the bark while another peeks over his brother's shoulder

Male brown bears can weigh up to 635kg and have been known to kill cubs so it was imperative the little bears made their way quickly out of danger

The stunning images were taken by Valtteri Mulkahainen, who hid in a shelter just metres away from the incident to ensure he did not scare the animals

At one point, it looked as though the little bears were keeping an eye on the ground as their mother sniffed one of the nearby rocks

The bears stopped climbing once they got high enough off the ground and looked like they were listening for their mother to tell them they could come down

The brown bears have longer claws and a stronger body mass than other species, making it easier for them to climb the tall trees found in the European forest

The photographer, who kept a close eye on the trio, said: 'When the big male bear left, the mother bear signalled the cubs to come down and they began to fight among themselves'