Mandya (Karnataka), Feb 9 (IANS): Local youths on Thursday rescued two leopard cubs trapped beneath a boulder in an agricultural land in the Kolagere village in Mandya district.

The youths -- Shivamurthy, Keerthi Kumar and their friends -- noticed that eight cubs of leopard were trapped beneath the boulder. They made a way for the cubs and got them out.

However, they could only catch two cubs and the other six cubs disappeared as soon as they managed to come out. The youth had taken the two cubs to their houses and gave them food.

The forest authorities rushed and inspected the spot. They went to the houses of the youth and took the two cubs, which they had brought home, into their custody. The authorities have set up a cage to trap the mother leopard at the spot.

The authorities have also warned the villagers not to venture out alone near their farms and isolated places as the mother leopard, which had lost its cubs, might attack them. The authorities have also launched a hunt for the six cubs.