Siliguri (West Bengal), May 24 : Forest rangers of Siliguri rescued two leopards from a deep trench on Saturday after a well-planned and executed operation.

Reportedly, the locals spotted the ''''spotted feline beauties'''', one adult and the other cub, which had strayed into the plantation estate of Rangamati Tea Gardens and fell into an open deep trench that had been dug up to trap wild animals.

Ram Bhajan Nayak, a villager who spotted the leopards said "there was this deep pit and I came to see what was trapped inside. Then I saw the leopards inside the trench and I called my other friends."

Soon the forest rangers were informed, and along with the fire brigade from Jalpaiguri they got into action.

With utmost care, the rangers and firemen managed to catch both the big cats in separate nets and later released them into the jungle.

Depletion of their habitat has also threatened the wild cats, forcing them to stray into human settlements -- attacking poultry birds, livestock and often humans.(ANI)