Wildcat kittens to be released in Scotland to try to save species

Image source, Shepreth Wildlife Park

Image caption, The kittens were born about a month ago but only recently came out of their den

Four wildcat kittens, bred in captivity, will be released into the Cairngorms National Park.

The kittens were born to mum Canna and dad Raymond at Shepreth Wildlife Park in Cambridgeshire.

It's part of the Saving Wildcats Project which is trying to save the species from extinction.

There are some wildcats, also known as Highland tigers, living in Scotland but they are under threat from loss of habitat, disease and cross breeding with domestic cats.

Image source, Shepreth Wildlife Park

Image caption, The new kittens' mother, Canna, arrived at the Cambridgeshire park about a year ago

The plan is to eventually release up to 20 wildcats a year into the UK's largest national park, which lies between between Aberdeen and Loch Ness.

The kittens will stay with their parents until they are old enough to be released into the wild, where is it hoped they will breed with the native population and boost numbers.

Conservationists are looking after them but making sure they don't get too used to humans.

Rebecca Willers, Shepreth's director, said the new-borns were "just like any other playful kittens, but we're having zero contact with them because we want them to remain wild".