Reasons Why We Sent Bim, Bum, and Bam to Zagreb

Dear lovers of "our" squirrels, it's time to provide an explanation regarding Bim, Bum, and Bam.

Why Did Bim, Bum, and Bam End Up in Zagreb?

This is a question some of our followers have asked recently, so here is the briefest possible answer.

As you may have gathered from our posts in recent months, we have done everything we can to raise Bim, Bum, and Bam and return them to the wild where they belong. However, this has been greatly complicated by the fact that they are only three months old and not developed enough to survive the winter on their own.

If conditions permit, it is best to return squirrels from shelters to the place where they were found. Therefore, for two months, we explored the area around the Health Center and other city locations and found that there are very few squirrels there. We interviewed passers-by, early morning and evening walkers, as well as people who live and work there, and everyone told us that they rarely see squirrels. Besides, it would be difficult for us to see them again, and they still need our care.

Therefore, upon the advice of veterinarians, we wanted to release them into Squirrelforest (4km away), as it is, in our opinion, the only place where they would have a chance of survival. Outside the tourist season, they would be somewhat protected from heavy traffic and the risk of being run over, and there are not many predators there. The most important reason for choosing this location was that our babies would more easily socialize with the several dozen urban squirrels living there whose habits we know well. They are very sociable, as visitors, including true enthusiasts, have been visiting and feeding them for over 20 years.

Additionally, there are large reserves of "winter supplies" buried during the summer, and we visit daily. We would bring them the food they are accustomed to, as they still cannot fully feed themselves since their teeth are not fully developed.

Our little squirrels, unfortunately, did not have the chance to learn from their mother how to build a nest, so it was necessary to install nesting boxes when returning them to the wild, giving them time to learn other essential skills for survival.

With funds from donations, we bought and intended to gift 20 nesting boxes, 10 feeders, 10 waterers, and a lot of nesting material (sisal-jute-coconut-cotton), and insulation material to fill the boxes. We painted them dark brown so they wouldn't be visible high in the treetops. We received instructions from Croatian Forests on how to safely install them and found a professional climber specializing in high-altitude work who would install them safely and for free.

We wanted to provide nesting boxes and feeders for the older squirrels in the Squirrel-forest, as several trees with nests were knocked down in storms last summer. We wanted to ensure a safe and warm home for this year's babies to overwinter, which would also help future generations since trees often fall there.

Unfortunately, we did not receive approval for this plan, which we deeply regret, not only for Bim, Bum, and Bam but also for the squirrels in the Squirrelforest.

As the weather worsened and temperatures dropped, we had no choice but to activate the alternative plan we had for the case that our babies couldn't be placed in Vjeveršuma.

Our apartment, where the squirrels stayed for two months, is not suitable for overwintering because it simply doesn't have enough space. The cage and room became too small for them. Squirrels are not pets but wild animals that need plenty of space.

We are sincerely grateful to the team of experts at the Zagreb Zoo who accommodated us, so Bim, Bum, and Bam now have a nice place to spend the winter, a large area with plenty of greenery where they can continue to grow and develop undisturbed. They will stay in their new habitat until spring, after which we will know what direction they will take.

We would certainly like them to be returned to where we found them once they are ready for independent life. However, competent persons will decide on this, and the well-being of our forest friends will always be our top priority.

The nesting boxes, waterers, and feeders we acquired will not go to waste, as we are already in discussions with potential partners who will help us in the mission of repopulating the red squirrel in the Poreč area, where they were once abundant. But more on that another time.

We miss them greatly, and it is difficult to get used to them being far away after two months of intensive bonding, but it is for their own good. And we will visit them as much as we can.