To save the seriously endangered species, Scottish wildcats that were captive-bred have been released into the largest national park in the UK.
It is the first of several trial releases in the Cairngorms that will take place at unknown locations.
The 22 cats were first introduced to the park by the Saving Wildcats initiative last week.
According to earlier studies, the species was "functionally extinct" in the wild, in part as a result of mating with feral cats.
The decline in their population has also been attributed to disease and habitat loss.
The released wildcats will be tracked using GPS-radio collars by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which is in charge of the Saving Wildcats partnership.
Over the following three years, about 60 wildcats will be released.
The project is the first-ever conservation translocation of wildcats in Britain and was authorized under license by NatureScot.
David Field, the man responsible for saving Wildcat, said: "The time has come to give the 'Highland Tiger' the best chance of surviving, and I am grateful for the efforts of our team members, partners, and supporters in making this possible.
As a result of their involvement, we would not have reached this exciting milestone, so I am especially appreciative of the support of our local community in the Cairngorms. " .
Wildcats are a beloved native species in Scotland, but according to Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater, they are in danger of extinction.
One of our nation's most important challenges, she said, is to reverse the dramatic losses to nature that we have recently witnessed.
The Scottish government is actively working to protect and restore our natural environment and the animals that depend on it. We appreciate their continued commitment to this cause. ".
The Cairngorms National Park Authority and Forestry and Land Scotland are two organizations that support the project.
