Playful kids are notorious for running away, and this naughty cub is no exception. It hides in a tall tree behind its mother.

After photographer Cody Needham startled the cub and sent it running up a tree, the perplexed mummy bear was left looking for her youngster.

Cody captured some gorgeous photos of his adorable, un-BEAR-ably sweet snaps on a trip to Sequoia National Park in California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range.

“My buddy Jordan and I were hiking Alta Peak,” stated the 28-year-old.

It began to snow heavily less than a mile from the top, so we had to turn around and descend.

“When we arrived at the parking lot, the mother bear and her cub ran across the street, presumably because of the snow.

“My buddy pulled over and I went to the verge of the road to observe the mother and cub about 50 yards away.

I took photos of the cubs as I went. When I was a few yards away, the cracking of sticks startled him and he climbed up a tree.

“It all happened so fast that I was afraid my camera settings wouldn’t be able to capture the event in sufficient detail, but a few decent photographs were enough.

“When the cub perched himself on the limb looking down at his mother, I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”