Bijnor/Lakhimpur (Uttar Pradesh), Jun 3 (IANS): Three leopard cubs, about a week old, have been rescued from a sugarcane field in Bijnor, while a tiger cub was found dead in Lakhimpur district.

It appears that the three cubs were abandoned by their mother after birth in Salawa village of the Dhampur forest range.

Bijnor Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) M. Semmaran said: "We have rescued three leopard cubs on Tuesday. We are taking care of them under medical supervision. Once they can fend for themselves, we will shift them to the Etawah Lion Safari."

The cubs have been taken to the Bijnor divisional forest office, where they are being looked after by the forest staff.

Another leopard cub, about a month-old, was rescued last week, and has been sent to Etawah Lion Safari.

On Tuesday, the carcass of the tiger cub was fished out from an irrigation canal in Gola area outside the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) forest area which is under the social forestry region.

Sub divisional officer Ravi Shukla told reporters: "The cub seemed to be born premature and had died possibly due to complications.

The carcass is about 3-4 days old and has started decomposing. We are following all the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines and have sent the carcass for an autopsy."

It is believed that the carcass came floating in the canal water from the dense forest area of DTR where there is a rich population of tigers.

The carcass was seen by a farmer of Bakhkhari village, adjacent to Gola range of forests, who informed the forest staff.