An adorable red squirrel orphan that was left for dead at just four days old has been nursed back to health.
The cute little squirrel, affectionately named Gary, may have fallen from a tree nest after being attacked by a pine marten.
A dog walker found the young animal on the ground near Buckie, Moray, and rushed him to safety before being taken to an animal sanctuary near Auchnaggat, Aberdeenshire.
After the little squirrel was found, the dog walker rushed to a nearby pet shop who in turn called in rescuers from the New Arc animal sanctuary.
Staff at the sanctuary admitted the situation was touch and go when Gary was brought in covered in bite marks at the end of August.
Keith Marley, co-founder of the sanctuary, believes the animal's nest may have been destroyed by a pine marten.
He said: "It was a dog walker who found him covered in bite marks. He wasn't even sure if he was asquirrel or a rat. He took him to the pet shop.
"He gave us a phone and very nicely drove down to us.
"At first, we were really concerned because squirrels nest quite high and he had obviously dropped from the nest, so he could have suffered internal injuries.
"He had quite a number of bite marks on him, we suspect from a pine marten. Cats and various other things wouldn't go up to get him."
On arrival at the sanctuary, Gary was placed in one of the centre's new, specially designed rescue incubators on a strict diet and gradually administered medicine.
Keith said: "We did not expect him to pull through. It has been three weeks and he opened his eyes for the first time last night.
"His ears opened up a couple of days ago. Their ears open up at three weeks old.
"At around 42 days, his teeth will come through and he'll be 'bitey'. That is when the fun begins. Now his eyes are open, he'll start to move about.
"He'll move from an incubator into a bigger cage.
"Once he has been weaned, he'll get a diet of mixed berries, pecan nuts and curly kale and any suitable fungi we can find for him.
"It was touch and go for a few days. He is a tough little blighter.
"We have had quite a few red squirrels in over the years. He is the only one we have had this year."
Gary will be released back into nearby woodlands with a healthy red squirrel population when he is fit enough.
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