Today was a very interesting day. I got up not knowing what was going to come next. I was casually going down to prepare for the Ganpati festival and buy a few things when I noticed a very small, peculiar creature squeaking somewhere below.
I looked down. It was a squirrel cub.
Ideally, whenever a squirrel cub is there, her mother comes looking for her. The baby’s sound makes the mother go around, check, and take her back. But in this case, she was just standing there, squeaking, squeaking, moving around. For around two hours, her mother did not come. Nobody came to pick her up. I don’t know what had happened to the mother.
I was afraid. So I asked my security person to take care of her. He didn’t know what to do either, so he just moved her around to some corner.
Not knowing what else to do, I went about my activities. I completed what I had to do and came back home. But I couldn’t just sit idle.
There was this small cub somewhere downstairs, and I kept thinking that I hadn’t done enough to save her. I tried calling a few foundations. I couldn’t get any response.
By this time, I wasn’t even sure if that little being was still alive.
So after I finished everything at home, I went down again. I searched for where she had gone. And then I found her.
She was very quietly tucked away. When I looked at her, her eyes were closed. She didn’t really know where to look. She was just moving around, her tiny little fingers moving and moving. And I felt I had to do something.
I reached out to my friends. I reached out to the nearest police station. I got a few contacts. Then I Googled.
And I found out that there was an animal hospital in Parel that takes care of animals like this. Without much delay, I just hopped into a cab.
I got out without knowing anything. I had an umbrella and my phone. No cash. Nothing else.
And this tiny little thing was just clinging to my finger while I was moving around asking people, “What do I do? What do I do? Where do I take her?” I knew she couldn’t stay on my finger for long. So I went to the nearest kirana shop. The shopkeeper helped me with a small box where I could keep her and some cash to help me travel. I put her inside, and then I boarded a cab and went straight to the hospital.
I called them first. I said, “I have a very small squirrel cub. Can you take her?” They said, “Yes. Please bring her.”
So I just hopped into the cab, put the cub safely into the box, and went straight there.
On the way, in our Whatsapp group, my alumni friends kept pouring in recommendations, contacts and suggestions, all trying to figure out what could be done so that this little being could survive and see another day.
Finally, I reached the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals, the BSPCA & BSDP Hospital for Animals in Parel.
And when I reached there, I looked around. There were so many animals. And they were all being taken care of by someone.
Some mama. Some maushi. Someone looking around them. Someone making sure they were okay.
And I knew I was in the right place. I took the little cub in her box to them.
They instantly said, “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of her. You can go home.”
Then I asked, “What do you do next?” They said they’ll feed her, take care of her, and when she is fine and strong enough, they’ll release her back into the wild.
That was a very sweet ending to the story.
A big, big thank you to the team at the Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals for taking care of animals and accommodating this little one with such warmth and open arms.
I was especially touched by something I heard there.
Someone said in Marathi, “ऐकलं का? नवीन खारूताईचं पिल्लू आलंय.” “Did you hear? A new squirrel baby has arrived.”
And somehow, that stayed with me. Because in that one little sentence, she wasn’t just another animal they had to treat. She had become one of theirs. One more little being to be cared for. One more life worth saving.
She is a fighter for sure. No mother. No one around to look after her. No food. No water. Just born, tiny and helpless, and yet hanging on to dear life for at least four hours. I hope she survives. I hope she makes it.
Maybe she wants to live. Maybe she will.
I don’t know. But today, I did my part.
And maybe sometimes, that’s all we can do. Do our part when we feel capable & can make some difference!
And hope. ❤️🐿️