An animal rescuer said “I’ll be there for you” to a gang of adorable baby stoats found sheltering beside a Highland road.
Now the youngsters have been named after the characters from television show Friends and are doing well in the care of the Scottish SPCA.
The pack of six youngsters was found beside the body of their dead mother in North Kessock at the side of the road.
The brood was only around five or six-weeks-old when they were discovered by a member of the public who contacted the Scottish SPCA.
They were rescued safely- and now Ross, Joey, Chandler, Rachel, Monica and Phoebe are being rehabilitated at the animal welfare charity’s national wildlife rescue centre at Fishcross in Clackmannanshire.
The stoats were found on Sunday, May 28 and are now feeding themselves.
The youngsters will ultimately be released back into the wild as a group when they are ready.
Centre manager Colin Seddon said, “They are all feeding themselves and we’re going to move them to a large outdoor enclosure soon.
“We’ll release them back into the wild as a group when they are fully independent.”
Stoats are carnivorous and from the same general family as weasels – though they are larger when fully grown.
They are one of the most common carnivores found in Scotland.
Mr Seddon said: “They look very cute and cuddly now, but when they’re fully grown they will be a predator to other wildlife such as rabbits, mice and voles.”
Stoats are generally nocturnal, though they are more active in daylight during the summer months.
Once released back into the wild the friends will go their separate ways, as stoats are solitary animals.
The species has been in the headlines already this week in the north because of concerns about their spread in Orkney.
The predators were first released in the islands in 2010 and this week the RSPB raised concern about their impact on the native bird population.
Anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wild animal should call the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.