A couple in Kruger National Park, South Africa, thought they heard a strange bird while walking among the trees. Upon further inspection, they noticed that the animal making the noise was, in fact, a baby squirrel- not even old enough to open its eyes.
It was hanging by its neck on a thorn of a tree branch. The mother was nowhere to be found, so the couple rescued the squirrel. This particular type of squirrel is known as the Paraxerus cepapi. It is a useful breed of squirrel because it helps to spread tree seeds in the grass.
They normally forage for food on the ground, though they will retreat to the trees if they feel threatened. It is also common for them to climb a tree when they want to give birth. They have a gestation period of only 56 days, and they aren’t completely weaned until about six weeks after birth.
They will try to go out and gather their own food around three weeks of age, but the squirrel found by this couple was guessed to be only two weeks old. It didn’t have any chance of survival if the couple continued to walk, thinking they heard a strange bird. It is always great to hear that an infant was rescued, no matter what species they are. Infants are unable to care for themselves and should be introduced to the world properly, not prematurely.
Check your surroundings if your gut instinct tells you that something didn’t sound right, you may just get the opportunity to give an infant a chance at life.