Wolves will not be making an early comeback to the Highlands after an estate shelved plans to keep them on a wilderness reserve.

The Alladale Estate near Ardgay in Sutherland announced last year that it was to seek a zoo licence to keep three European wolves and eight European wildcats.

The application is being lodged with Highland Council this week and a consultation is under way. A public meeting is to be held next month to discuss the plans with local people.

But the estate has confirmed that while wolves remain part of its overall vision for the land, the animals, which have not been seen in the wild in Scotland for hundreds of years, will not be featuring for the time being.

Reserve manager Hugh Fullerton Smith said the three-acre enclosure was too small and he did not want to see the animals stressed.

He said: "Wolves are no longer part of this application. We were quite keen at one point to bring some wolves in and keeping them to educate people.

"But we looked at a few small enclosures and really were not that comfortable with them."