Two 'vulnerable' leopard cubs, rescued from a tree by four teenagers in a Nagaland village, were released to the state's Zoological Park in Dimapur, officials said on Tuesday.

A Nagaland Wildlife official said that four boys, aged around 11 to 12 years — Njancham, Kaisithui, Khouralung and Wiramsiaged while bathing at the Tening village on Sunday found that the leopard cubs were sitting at a branch of a hollowed tree near paddy fields.

The official said that the children brought the cubs to the village after which a resident of Tening village, Chamdinbo, a high school teacher, informed the Extra Assistant Commissioner Tumben P. Tsanglao for necessary assistance in handing over the cubs to forest and wildlife authorities.

Tsanglao and Forest Range Officer Namsibo facilitated the release of the two leopard cubs from Tening village to Nagaland Zoological Park in Dimapur on Monday. The officials of Nagaland Zoological Park and Peren forest officials have taken necessary steps for specialised care and protection of the cubs. The official said that the whereabouts of the mother of the cubs is still unknown.

"What remains to be seen is how the cubs were found not in the wild, but at a tree very close to the paddy fields of Tening village making a stark reminder of growing man-animal conflict, amidst the loss of habitats for the big cats," the official pointed out.

He said that according to the current IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list status of the Indian leopard is 'Vulnerable'.