Wolf pups birth delights visitors at Cairngorms National Park

THE birth of six wolf pups at Highland Wildlife Park in the Cairngorms has delighted staff and visitors alike.

The seven cubs are slowly starting to venture from their den and explore their 4,500 square metre enclosure. Picture: Contributed

The litter was born seven weeks ago but the animals are only now beginning to venture outdoors and explore their enclosure in the Highlands.

They are the first wolf pups bred in the Cairngorms since 2013.

The pups’ mother, Ruby, was born at the park ib 2012.

Douglas Richardson, head of living collections at the Highland Wildlife Park, said: “This is the first time Ruby has had pups and she is proving to be an excellent mother.

“The pups are doing very well and are slowly starting to wander from the den, although they are still quite shy and always remain close to their mother’s side.”

“The wolf has been an iconic species at the Highland Wildlife Park since its opening in 1972 and it is wonderful to see a new pack developing.

“As they would disperse from their natal pack in the wild, these pups will eventually go out to other collections to augment existing packs or help create new ones.”

Wolves once roamed Scotland’s wilderness but were hunted to extinction in the 1740s.

The wolves at the Highland Wildlife Park are native to Scandinavia.