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Cute kittens make a surprise appearance as rescued lynx family returns to the wild

Adorable lynx kittens take centre stage in a new documentary from wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan.

Finding Kittens

Gordon Buchanan finds super cute newborn lynx kittens.

When a Russian fur trapper caught and imprisoned lynxes Koshka and Miass it would have seemed that their chances of ever living wild again were gone.

The pair suffered a miserable existence in captivity. Their captor kept them in small steel cages, forced them to breed, and took their kittens from them for use in the fur trade.

But Koshka and Miass were lucky. They were rescued by cat expert Dr Victor Lukarevsky who was intent on returning them to the wild.

Mother lynx Koshka and her kittens relaxing in the forest

Mother lynx Koshka and her kittens relaxing in the forest

On Snow Cats and Me, Dr Lukarevsky is joined by wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan, who records the lynxes' rehabilitation.

It's a tough task: after four years in captivity Koshka and Miass must be helped to rediscover their predatory instincts before they can be released back into the wilderness.

However, rekindling certain instincts require no assistance. In a surprise and heart-warming turn of events, Koshka and Miass soon become parents again. The discovery of their two kittens at just a few weeks old delights seasoned wildlife expert Gordon.

"I think [they are] possibly the two most beautiful creatures I've ever seen," he says.

Lynx kittens playing with sapling tree

Cute Lynx Kittens Aliiona and Ivan playing with sapling tree in Russia.

Gordon Buchanan with kittens Ivan and Aliona

On 大象传媒 iPlayer

  • Snow Cats and Me

    Gordon Buchanan is in Russia on an emotional journey rehabilitating captive lynx back to the wild. Can lynx cats locked away in small cages be returned to the wilderness?

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