A few months ago, Dani Connor moved from London, England, to northern Sweden to pursue her dream of being a wildlife photographer.
The recent zoology graduate’s leap of faith proved to be worthwhile because she’s already going viral for her stunning photography! It all started when she met a red squirrel named Remy in the forest.
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Dani was out taking pictures one day when she found a squirrel whose face reminded her of Remy, the main character in “Ratatouille.”
The animal was curious about Dani and her work, so she would often wander over to be the photographer’s test subject. Thanks to her, Dani was able to capture many wonderful images of Remy seeming to fly through the air.
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Sadly, Dani later got the news that Remy had been hit by a car and passed away. She immediately began to worry about the squirrel’s babies, so she went into the woods to find their nest.
Even though she thought it was an “impossible mission,” she refused to give up and was thrilled when she actually located them. She called some local wildlife rescuers for guidance and was told the kits wouldn’t survive on their own. That’s when Dani decided to become their surrogate squirrel mom!
She started bringing them food and water and venturing into the forest every 4-6 hours to check on them. They soon got to know the sound of her voice and came to trust her. Of course, as a photographer, Dani couldn’t resist capturing more and more of their heartwarming encounters!
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“The squirrels are usually still sleeping,” Dani explained. “I shout ‘baby squirrels’ when I walk into the forest and they come down. I feed them sunflower seeds, peanuts, apple, and pear, and give them plenty of water. After a few hours with them, they usually go back up the tree to sleep.”
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Baby squirrels usually become independent by the time they’re 12 weeks old, so Dani made sure to see her mission through.
“They will learn to live on their own,” she said. “Squirrels are highly adaptable animals. I have already seen them cache food and no one has taught them this behavior – they learn from instinct, trial, and error.â€
She was absolutely right! Her little ones have since headed out into the world to make their own way! While Dani misses them, she’ll always treasure their time together. Luckily, she has plenty of photos and videos to look back on, including a clip of one of her babies munching on some fruit. The sound was so cute that it quickly went viral with millions of views!
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We had no idea squirrels could make such adorable sounds! It’s easy to see why Dani’s work is getting so much attention. After all, it’s a beautiful glimpse into a seldom-seen aspect of nature!
Watch the heart-melting moment in the video below, and be sure to share this story with a fellow animal lover or two.
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