Tigers play in a pool for the first time in heartwarming video

A pair of rescued tigers turned into playful kittens when they came across a pool for the first time.

A heartwarming video released by the International Fund for Animal Welfare shows two female tigers, Carli and Lily, frolicking through an in-ground pool at the Safe Haven Rescue Zoo in the US state of Nevada.

The tigers were part of a group of 19 exotic animals rescued from a New York facility a year ago.

Having spent a lot of time in dirty cages, they are unprepared for seeing so much water in one place.

However, it takes only minutes for the pair to go from gently dabbing their paws in the pool to jumping in and even playing with a nearby ball.