Two litters of wildcat kittens have been born at the Highland Wildlife Park in what has been described as a boost for the species.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said the new arrivals at the Kingussie attraction would go on to play a vital role in the breed's conservation.

Scottish wildcats, also known as Highland Tigers, are under threat due to breeding with domestic and feral cats, habitat loss and accidental persecution.

The Highland Wildlife Park has been running a conservation breeding programme as part of the Scottish Wildcat Action project, which aims to release the cats into the wild.

The kittens have spent the first couple of months safely tucked in their dens but have been venturing out more over the past few days.

David Barclay, RZSS cat conservation project officer, said: "The birth of these rare kittens is not just another boost for the captive breeding programme but for the conservation of this magnificent native species as a whole.

"Through our work with Scottish Wildcat Action, we are doing everything we can to save the Scottish wildcat from extinction and the safety net of the captive breeding programme is becoming more and more vital as wild populations continue to decline."

Special breeding enclosures for Scottish wildcats have been built at the park to help support the project.

The enclosures are built away from people or traffic, to help prepare the cats for survival in the wild.