Brave bird fights off double tiger attack to emerge victorious at China zoo

In a bird-vs-tiger death match, the winner might seem obvious - but one courageous crane managed to fight off his attackers after accidentally getting trapped in the big cat enclosure at a zoo in China.

The red-crowned crane was blown into the tiger garden by a sudden, strong wind during a public display at the Fuyang Wildlife Park in Zhejiang Province.

Two of the resident cats immediately took an interest in the possibility of an afternoon snack, and began chasing the bird down.

Not to be defeated, however, the crane squared up to the predators and began chasing them instead.

The tigers, apparently startled by their change of fortune, turned tail and ran.

They tried their attack again - but again, the crane managed to fend them off.

Zookeepers eventually managed to rescue the victorious bird and return him to the correct pen, with just a few minor injuries.

Hundreds of visitors witnessed the showdown, sparking warnings from wildlife park staff against anyone tempted to try to mimic the crane's actions and face off against the tigers.