A CHILD in Hekou County, Southwest China’s Yunnan Province, recently found and brought home two kittens while he was playing on the mountain.

Suspecting they might belong to some rare species, the child’s parents called the local police. They took the two cubs back to the public security bureau and contacted animal experts to confirm their identity.

“We sent the photos and videos of the two little animals to a provincial animal expert and confirmed that they are leopard cats, which are wildlife of important ecological, scientific and social value under State protection. They were born only several days ago and are in good physical condition,” said Li Chengyun, head of Hekou County Natural Resources Public Security Bureau.

Under the good care of police officers, the two cubs are now able to walk. However, considering that they do not have the ability to survive in the wild yet, the police will contact the wildlife rescue agencies to take care of the kittens.

The leopard cat is a level-III protected species in China. They are native to South, Southeast and East Asia. Despite being widely distributed, they are facing problems like habitat loss like many other animals.

A photography team in Shenzhen photographed three leopard cats on Mt. Tanglang in Nanshan District in May 2017. It was the first time such an animal had been spotted in an urban area of a big city in China.

(CGTN)