Cute but not cuddly: wildcat kittens
Highland Wildlife Park celebrates three new and rare arrivals.
Last updated 18th Jul 2017
The fiftieth wildcat kitten has been born at the Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie.
The Kincraig tourist attraction's latest three arrivals come after almost 40-years of breeding and rearing at the park, with 20-babies celebrated there in the last four-years alone.
So-called Highland Tigers are facing extinction, but it's hoped that ongoing efforts under the management of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) will give the rare animals a fighting chance of survival.
ABOVE: Wildcat kitten | © RZSS/Siân Addison
Douglas Richardson, Head of Living Collections told MFR News: "The three female kittens are another important addition to the captive population.
"Fathered by dad Zak, who was born in the wild, and came to us as an abandoned kitten in 2012, they possess genes which are valuable to the population, and will allow new breeding pairs to be established in the future.
"Our plan is that they will go on to play an important role in the conservation of the species and, with possibly as few as 110-wildcats left in the wild, the importance of a well-managed captive population cannot be overstated."
RZSS is a key partner in Scottish Wildcat Action - the first national project to save the highly threatened species from extinction.
Scottish Wildcat Action brings together more than 20-other organisations in the conservation, scientific and land management communities.
ABOVE: Wildcat kitten | © RZSS/Siân Addison