A vulnerable Visayan leopard cat caught in a snare was rescued in the Philippines.

The creature was reportedly trying to hunt the chickens of a local farmer in Aklan province when it was entangled in a trap set up for wild animals.

Residents found it in the morning and reported the threatened species sighting to wildlife officers on March 27 afternoon.

It was taken to their facility for a health check to ensure it was suitable to be released back into the wild before the cat was returned to its habitat.

Footage shows two officers opening the cage where the small leopard had been kept. It rushed out and ran deep into the forest.

The Malay Environment and Natural Resources office said in a statement: ‘Concerned citizens reported that a wild cat had been caught in a trap by a resident of Barangay Sambiray.

‘MENRO personnel immediately responded to the said area. Later, it was confirmed by the MENRO staff that it was a Visayan leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis rabori) due to its distinct feature of dark ochre fur to buffy fawn with huge and dark spots.

‘A Visayan leopard cat is endemic to the Philippine islands of Panay and Negros where it inhabits remnant forest fragments. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) the species is listed as Vulnerable, therefore considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.'