The Russian authorities are investigating the extremely rare appearance of tigers in urban areas in two far eastern regions.

The Amur Tiger Centre posted two videos filmed by residents in the far-eastern Russian regions of Khabarovsk Krai and Primorsky Krai, bordering with North Korea.

A family spotted one tiger in the overgrowth next to a main road in Khabarovsk Krai while enjoying a day out, eventually concluding that it was not a good idea to park up and go rambling in the woods.

In the footage, the family stops the car and films the tiger just a few metres away, visible through the overgrowth.

Another resident in Primorsky Krai filmed a tiger roaming around their back yard before taking a walk along a road.

The family said they locked their doors and windows and called the local authorities.

Animal experts found the tiger in the area and later released it into the wild a safe distance away.

The Amur Tiger Centre said the presence of tigers in rural areas in recent days is out of the ordinary, and local experts are investigating the areas and setting up hidden cameras to monitor the situation.