Heartwarming footage captures a rare moment of affection as a Siberian tiger extends its paws for a hug following a jab from its caretaker.

In the clip, the woman is seen petting the tiger named Jing Jing in an attempt to comfort it before administering the shot in Puyang in Henan, China, on February 13.

The tiger then gently clasped the woman's leg with its paws, standing still as she applied the dose.

Shortly afterward, the woman affectionately patted Jing Jing on its back, prompting the animal to eagerly leap into her embrace, seemingly seeking a hug.

A group of onlookers observing the scene through the window were visibly moved by the tender interaction between the tiger and its keeper.

The Siberian tiger also called the Amur tiger is the largest felid in the world and is native to the birch forests of the Russian Far East, Northeast China, and possibly North Korea. It is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of threatened species, the Red Book of Russia, and in Appendices II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). It is estimated that there are around 400 to 500 Siberian tigers left in the wild.