Six adorable baby stoats are being cared for after being found orphaned in the Highlands.

The cuddly babies, thought to only be around six weeks old, have been taken in by the Scottish SPCA after they were found on a road in North Kessock on the Black Isle next to the body of their mother.

The siblings have been named after each of the main characters on classic American sitcom Friends - Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe.

The stoats are now being rehabilitated at the Scottish SPCA's National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross, Clackmannanshire.

They will be given special care to help them become more independent.

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.

"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 typically chestnut coloured with white underparts and a distinctive, black-tipped tail.

During winter, they are almost exclusively nocturnal and rarely seen. During the summer months they are much more active during daylight hours.

Stoats can travel surprisingly large distances. A study in Scotland found stoats are able to range over enormous areas, with a single male covering 254 hectares in ten days.

Anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wild animal should call the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.