Feline fine: Rare Scottish wildcat kitten born at zoo

The cat could be seen testing its surroundings at Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder over the weekend.

Feline fine: Rare Scottish wildcat kitten born at zoo

A rare Scottish wildcat kitten has been born at a zoo in West Lothian.

The feline could be seen testing its surroundings at Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder over the weekend.

The kitten was born to parents Morag and Fletcher but, because of the animal’s elusive nature, has only been spotted a handful of times since its birth.

However, footage released on Sunday shows the kitten pouncing around at its new home.

Scottish wildcats form one of the most endangered cat populations in the world, having been declared functionally extinct in 2018.

Five Sisters Zoo described the breeding programme it is a part of as “a lifeline for this fragile population”.

The zoo added without help from conservationists, the Scottish wildcat could be close to disappearing altogether.

STV News is now on WhatsApp

Get all the latest news from around the country

Follow STV News
Follow STV News on WhatsApp

Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country

WhatsApp channel QR Code