Professor Tangrowth helps the player meet Squirtle early in Pokémon Pokopia.
The story begins with Ditto encountering Professor Tangrowth, a Tangrowth who has taken on the role of studying the damaged world. After this meeting, Ditto finds a Squirtle and helps it recover from dehydration.
That encounter establishes the game’s central pattern: helping Pokémon and rebuilding habitats rather than simply defeating opponents. As the player restores the environment, more Pokémon can appear and contribute to the developing settlement.
Squirtle is especially memorable because its Water Gun can later help with environmental tasks such as watering dry plants. This makes the Pokémon part of both the story and the practical building systems. Bulbasaur also teaches a useful move, but it is not the Pokémon identified in this early recovery event.