Orphaned baby pine martens found sheltering in roof space at Inveraray Castle

A trio of orphaned pine martens have been rescued after being found hidden in the roof of a castle building in Argyll.

Staff at Inveraray Castle discovered that a family of the protected species had been sheltering in the roof space of one of the estate buildings.

It was discovered that the mother had passed away, leaving her three kits in need of urgent help.

After successfully lifting the roof floor, staff were able to locate the babies and place them into the care of the Scottish SPCA.

Sharing a picture of the pine martens on social media, Inveraray Castle said: “These beautiful, rare little creatures are now in the expert care of the Scottish SPCA, where they’ll receive everything they need to give them the very best chance.

“We wish these three tiny souls a full recovery and a happy life.”

Pine martens are elusive animals, described as cat-sized members of the weasel family, which are mostly found in Scotland, North Yorkshire and Northumberland.

As keen climbers, they prefer to live in woodlands where they live in holes in trees, old squirrel dreys or old bird nests.

There are only an estimated 3,700 adult pine martens in Scotland. The species was given full legal protection in 1988.