Adorable new faces lure visitors to Highland Wildlife Park

And in the months since the pair have ventured outside their den and started exploring their surroundings.

The adorable snow leopard cubs born in May were confirmed to be a boy and a girl during their first routine health check by expert keepers and vets at the wildlife conservation charity.

And last month the park revealed that the two cubs had officially been named Indra and Tama following a public vote. Indra is a male Nepalese name and Tama is one of the rivers that makes up the Koshi river system.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) had invited supporters to choose from three pairs of names inspired by the landscapes of the snow leopard's natural range in Central and South Asia.

After thousands of votes across the wildlife conservation charity's social media channels, Indra and Tama emerged as the clear favourites.

A huge hit with visitors, staff at the park said they continued to do well as they grow up and get used to their surroundings.

“They are growing in confidence and can be seen out of their den a lot more frequently, exploring and playing,” a spokesperson for the Wildlife Park said.

“They can often be seen copying mum, Pari, to learn all the natural behaviours needed for adult life. They are growing quickly too, and are already looking more mature – for example, they are losing the blue colour in their eyes, which is indicative of a young cat.

“Still cute as anything, though!”

The cubs are the first litter for the zoo in four years, and have spent their first few months inside being looked after by first-time mum Pari, while and dad Koshi live separately from the litter to mimic the situation in the wild where mothers take sole responsibility for raising offspring.

The adorable cubs are just one of the reasons why this is the perfect autumn to visit the Highland Wildlife Park.

The attraction recently welcomed Priya the red panda. The three-year-old female arrived earlier this year from Edinburgh Zoo and has settled into her brand-new habitat.

Her arrival marked the long-awaited return of red pandas to the park, with previous red panda residents, Kevyn and Kitty, relocated to Edinburgh Zoo in 2022 during the construction of Scotland’s Wildlife Discovery Centre.

The new red panda habitat was designed with the species’ needs at its core. Set on a wooded hillside, the habitat offers expansive views of the Cairngorms and features tall trees and climbing structures.

Priya has now been joined in the enclosure by a new male red panda, one-year-old Flyn. His personality is already starting to shine, with visitors able to spot him climbing high up into the trees.

Keepers at the wildlife conservation charity are hopeful the panda pair will have cubs in future.

And the attraction now has Red panda experiences up and running, giving visitors the chance to meet and feed the red pandas. These only happen once a day and are very popular though, so it’s essential to book in advance.

Autumn also means a return for the fabulous Pumpkins at the Park event, which runs throughout October and includes a spooktastic children’s trail, farmyard play, hot drinks and sweet treats, as well as a chance to pick your own pumpkin.

Jess Wise, visitor operations manager at Highland Wildlife Park said: “Autumn is an exciting time at the park, as our cold-weather species start to grow their winter coats, and it’s always wonderful to see.

“These animals are a great way to inspire a love of nature in our visitors of all ages.

“The snow leopard cubs are just so cute, charming visitors with their playful behaviour. It’s incredible to see them in person.

“And just down the path, we have our two red pandas – one-year-old Flyn and three-year-old Priya – who are both full of personality, incredibly energetic and curious.

“With Pumpkins at the Park, we’re really pleased to be offering something accessible and fun for families at this time of year.

“Of course, we’d love people to follow up their pumpkin picking with a visit to the park, but most importantly, we wanted to provide something that people in the local community and from further afield can come and enjoy together.”

Visitors have also flocked to see the three Eurasian lynx, Caledonia, Cardrona and Bluebell, who were found abandoned in the Cairngorms National Park last year and who have now made the Highland Wildlife Park their home.

As well as looking after the animals, the park has been making investments in taking care of its visitors.

They have continued to maintain and upgrade the incredible drive-through reserve, one of the most exciting and iconic parts of any visit to the park, where you can drive in among some of the incredible creatures at the park.

They have also recently refurbished their buildings at the Scotland's Wildlife Discovery Centre, transforming the visitor experience.

With so much to see it makes a perfect day out, and the park is within the Cairngorms National Park, meaning there is plenty to see and lots of accommodation options in the nearby area.

From November through to February the park will be open from 10 until 4pm, but is closed on Christmas Day.

Visitors can book online and save at: highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/tickets