Footage has emerged of rarely seen snow leopard cubs hiding in a tunnel in southwest China.

The video, filmed at the Luoxu Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province on September 1, shows three snow leopard cubs apparently waiting for their mother in a cramped tunnel.

In this sighting of the rare animals, the cubs can be heard hissing and growling.

The cubs were found by three villagers, who immediately reported the incident to a forest ranger, according to local reports.

The cubs have since been reunited with their mother, reports said.