Most of you know that in mid-August 2023., we found three baby squirrels who had lost their mother near the Home for the Elderly and Infirm in Poreč. We named the two boys Bim and Bum, and the girl Bam. Their story quickly spread through the local community and social media, and soon these newborn creatures became symbols of love, hope, and inspiration for launching the “Land a Hand to Nature” project, aimed at creating conditions for the return of squirrels to the forests and parks of Poreč, where they once thrived.

We ordered a large cage for them, which they utilized to the fullest with their constant running, playing, and sibling rivalry.

Of course, there were fears and sleepless nights. One night, we were terribly frightened by sounds of choking and the patter of little feet from the cage. When we turned on the light, we saw Bum looking at us with wide eyes, as if asking, “What’s wrong, hoomans, haven’t you ever seen a squirrel throw up?” Bum earned the nickname "Evening Muncher" (Pero Ždero) because of his nighttime eating habits. He even carried food into his sleeping bag.

That DM bag, hanging from the top of the cage, was their favorite place to sleep and nap. Like any true female, Bam wanted to carry it into the wooden house and build a nest, like all future squirrel moms. However, after a while, she gave up because it was simply too much work for her.

She loved watching what was happening around her from the balcony. She socialized with the tits that, also curious, came several times a day for food and watched the unusual habitat.

Every morning and evening, we moved the cage to the terrace so our squirrels could "bathe" in vitamin D, spending the rest of the day in the shade, getting used to outdoor sounds and movements.

Every day, we brought them freshly picked green pine cones and branches from Galijot, trying to provide conditions similar to those they would encounter in the wild when they were ready to return to their natural habitat. For this reason, we tried to minimize physical contact with them, although it was very hard not to cuddle those three adorable fluffy balls.

Their favorite foods were green pine cones, pine branches, celery, carrots, spinach, and pine nuts. They also enjoyed beet root, apples, bananas, grapes, watermelon, and berries. We gave them milk until they were three months old, switching to solid food before they left for the Zagreb Zoo.

Our squirrels loved when we sang to them, and they enjoyed music from the phone, radio, and television.

But now, we have no one to sing to, as our little ones are no longer with us.

As colder weather was forecasted for early November last year, and since we didn’t have adequate conditions in Poreč for their wintering in the apartment or releasing them into the wild, we had to find an alternative solution. As they transitioned to solid food, our squirrels began to become independent, and the cage and our room became too small for them.

After a frantic search, we reached the Zagreb Zoo, whose representatives offered to include Bim, Bam, and Bum in the Squirrel Reintegration Project after wintering in a heated habitat, releasing them into Strossmayer Park in Đakovo.

Read here why we had to send Bim, Bum, and Bam to the Zagreb Zoo.

However, fate was not kind to our forest friends.

First, Bam, as we were told, broke her leg and spent three and a half months in the infirmary where she eventually died from kidney issues. Despite the shock, we still held hope for Bim and Bum. But in February, as we were informed by the Zoo, Bim began having problems with his legs, which eventually stopped functioning, and he spent the rest of his short life in the infirmary, passing away at the end of June 2024. Bum also died without his brother and sister, alone in the habitat, somewhere in May 2024. This broke us.

Although we know the survival rate of rescued squirrels is low, we didn’t expect all three to leave us so early because they were so playful and full of energy!

Veterinarians conducted an autopsy and diagnosed a complex condition, which essentially means Bim and Bum died from uremia, or “elevated blood urea levels caused by severe Wallerian degeneration.”

Our grief is immeasurable. Our hearts break with pain because we genuinely looked forward to seeing our trio joyfully scampering through the branches of trees in nature, in the wild! That was the life we wanted for them!

Bim, Bum, and Bam will forever remain in our hearts. Their sad story will further motivate us to continue working on our project, inspiring us to create better living conditions for Poreč squirrels. We want no squirrel to be without a home and care.

We’ve made a video about the precious time spent with our little ones. It’s chronologically arranged and follows their stay with us from the first day to their fateful departure forever. Watch it and share it.