Zippy the stowaway squirrel travels from India to Aberdeen

Zippy the stowaway squirrel travels from India to Aberdeen after sneaking aboard a ship – but now needs a home in a UK zoo so he can ‘live a comfortable life with his own kind’

• The palm squirrel is said to have spent three weeks onboard the Deep Explorer
• The speedy squirrel, named Zippy, travelled thousands of miles from India
• It was finally caught by the ship crew a few days before they docked in Aberdeen
• Rescue team say Zippy is ‘doing well’ and is now quarantining in a large cage

A stowaway squirrel who travelled thousands of miles from India to Scotland after sneaking aboard a ship is being cared for by an animal rescue charity – and needs a new home. 

It is believed the animal – nicknamed Zippy due to his speed – spent about three weeks aboard the Deep Explorer and was finally caught by the crew three days before it docked in Aberdeen.

The North East Wildlife & Animal Rescue Centre (New Arc) charity was called to help by Pest Solutions in the city, who picked up the squirrel from the vessel.

After departing from India, the ship – which is a support vessel used to help divers work offshore – made its way through the Suez Canal in Egypt, and stopped in Malta before eventually reaching Aberdeen on August 27, The Press and Journal reports. 

The palm squirrel is now being cared for by New Arc who say that Zippy is doing well after his long voyage came to an end on Tuesday. 

‘Zippy’ the palm squirrel (pictured) travelled thousands of miles from India to Scotland before being rescued by New Arc. The squirrel is now being quarantined in a large cage at the rescue centre

Keith Marley, of New Arc, said: ‘It is a three-week trip from India and the crew got him three days before they got here.

‘They looked after him and were feeding him grapes to keep him well after they took him into custody.

‘I believe he had been spotted before then but he is faster than a fast thing so he took a bit of effort to catch.’

Zippy has been placed in a large cage at New Arc and is currently being kept in quarantine and monitored.

Mr Marley said: ‘He is doing well. He was a bit tired and panicked when he first came in, and stressed, but he had a good feed and seems to be behaving very much as a squirrel normally would.’

Palm squirrels, also known as three-striped squirrels, are one of many types of squirrel found in India.

The speedy squirrel is believed to have spent three weeks on board the Deep Explorer vessel but the charity is now trying to find it a permanent home

The charity, based in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, is trying to find a permanent home for Zippy.

Mr Marley said: ‘In an ideal world we would like to return him home but it’s unlikely we will be able to return him to India.

‘We will be checking zoos to see if anyone has this variety of squirrel in their collection in the hope that we can donate him so he can live out his life with his own kind and will hopefully have a comfortable life.’

Master of the Deep Explorer Maciej Wolinski said: ‘Anyone who’s had a squirrel in their home knows how difficult they can be to capture.

‘Our vessel team managed the situation safely and humanely, and we’ve made sure the squirrel is receiving the best possible care.

‘We wish the squirrel well in finding its new home.’

Deep Explorer’s owner, oil industry company TechnipFMC, said it could not disclose details of the route its vessel took.

After New Arc revealed that ‘Zippy’ had been rescued, some users commended the efforts of the rescue charity, others had spotted palm squirrels and some pointed out the change in weather conditions

New Arc announced the rescue of Zippy on its Facebook page, where it confirmed the squirrel’s new name and its safety.

Facebook users expressed their delight at the news. One user said: ‘WOW! Now that’s a strange call out! He is beautiful -it is a shame he is now away from his natural surroundings but i am sure you will find him a suitable new home’.

Meanwhile another, who was familiar with the species, said: ‘Yeh loads of them in the port where we work in India – quite small and very tame’. This prompted New Arc to respond jokingly: ‘Any room for a passenger on your next trip lol’.

A third user said: ‘Hope he remembers to send his folks back home a postcard telling them he’s arrived safely’. 

But others were quick to point out the severe weather change. Another user said: ‘He will need a wee jumper, he will be cold’. But the rescue centre squashed any concerns by telling any readers that Zippy was ‘nice and snug in the hospital quarantine room’.

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