World's rarest kittens rescued in the Scottish Highlands

Discovery of orphaned felines boosts struggling population by six per cent, to 37 animals

A pair of wildcat kittens have been rescued in Scotland, sparking fresh hope for the endangered species.

The orphaned felines were discovered in the east Highlands and have boosted the struggling population by six per cent, to 37 animals.

Conservation group Wildcat Haven, which rescued the animals, said the cats lost their mother at just two months old and were weak and dehydrated when they were found.

The group, which monitors the dwindling population, said the pair were found by a member of the public and were seen moving towards a road before their rescue.

“Safely capturing them in the wild, they have now transferred to a purpose built rehabilitation and release centre in the West Highlands,” the group wrote.

“They will be raised in the huge forest enclosure with minimal human contact and the very best veterinary care, to ensure they can be successfully released back into the wild as soon as they are old enough to live independently.”

The find comes months after an “enormous” wildcat was captured on camera prowling through Scottish woodland, in footage conservationists declared “a great boost” for the threatened species.

That cat is estimated to have been around 4ft long and may be the largest filmed to date, according to Wildcat Haven.

The predator – nicknamed “the beast” by the researchers who filmed it – was recorded by a hidden camera in Aberdeenshire‘s Clashindarroch forest.

The Scottish wildcat is the only native member of the cat family still found in the wild in Britain, and is a protected species.

As few as 35 were thought to remain before the kittens find, according to estimates by the Scottish Wildcat Association, making the species one of the world’s rarest animals. Other research, however, puts the figure at a less critical 400.

Some even fear pure wildcats are already extinct, as many have bred with domesticated cats, although Wildcat Haven claimed its research disproved that conclusion.