Three baby leopards found in a sugarcane field were reunited with their mother in this heartwarming rescue tale from central India.<br /><br />The three cubs, one male and two female, were found on November 19 by Wildlife SOS and the local Forest Department in Nagargaon village, in the Shirur range, Maharashtra. <br /><br />The twenty-five day old cubs were kept under observation for a few hours and later successfully reunited with the mother later that night, as footage from a hidden camera showed.<br /><br />Harvest season in Maharashtra often coincides with leopard cub season, meaning there is increased risk of leopard and human contact at this time. <br /><br />Leopards often favour sugarcane fields to keep their cubs hidden since they offer good cover and seclusion from predators. <br /><br />Dr. Ajay Deshmukh, Senior Veterinarian at the Wildlife SOS Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre said: “The mother must have been searching for her cubs, as within a few minutes she was able to sniff them out.<br /><br />"On reaching the crate, she patiently waited to ensure no danger stood in the way, and then she cleverly used her paws to carefully tip it over. <br /><br />"She then moved them to a safer location. Wildlife SOS makes every effort to make such rescue and reunion operations possible.”
