Image of four snow leopards shot in SW China

CHENGDU -- A nature reserve in Southwest China's Sichuan on Sunday disclosed a video footage of four snow leopards together in the same picture, a rare scene first taken in the province.

According to Wolong National Nature Reserve, home to at least 26 snow leopards, the video was taken in June. In the video, three leopard cubs slowly walked into the camera lens following their mother.

In a separate video clip, the three cubs had fun playing on the grass while their mother was absent finding food. And in another clip, two of the cubs were playing with a piece of turf.

Experts said the three cubs were about three months old. Snow leopard is a solitary animal and leaves mother to live on their own after two years old.

Snow leopards are a Class A protected animal in China. They live in the Himalayas in central and south Asia at an altitude of 2,500 to 4,500 meters. They have been spotted in China's provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan, and autonomous regions of Tibet and Xinjiang.