Holley Muraco is a PhD marine biologist and an assistant research professor at the Mississippi State University with a penchant for all wildlife.
In her free time, she’s also a volunteer at Woodshed Wildlife Rescue, primarily aiding in the rehabilitation of beavers.
Her affection for these charming semiaquatic rodents has led her to become a foster mom to many, including Petunia – a beaver whose cries remarkably resemble those of a human baby!
Holley found Petunia all alone in the middle of a field when she was less than a week old.
Knowing she had to help her, Holley brought her home, determined to provide the best care possible.
Initially, Petunia was confused, unsure of her new surroundings and how she ended up there.
But after a few days of adjusting to her new home and family, Petunia emerged from her shell, revealing her spirited nature.
Right from the get-go, Petunia proved she was a true fighter.
She loved playing with her plush toys, though her play resembled a boxing match more than anything else. She would grab any toy in her path and body slam it to the ground!
Petunia had so much energy that Holley could only leave her unsupervised when she was sleeping soundly.
Once she was awake – that’s when the real magic would begin!
One of her favorite pastimes was ‘rearranging the home decor.’ Discussing this typical beaver behavior in an interview, Holley explained:
“They love to move things around and change their environment. Sometimes that just means that they go around and grab whatever they can find and put it in a pile or make a dam inside the house.”
A lot of times, Petunia’s feline sister would interrupt her interior design efforts, but her canine brother would quickly come to her rescue.
Not that she needed rescuing – this feisty little lady was more than capable of defending herself!
Apart from having a feisty spirit and being a true attention seeker, Petunia was usually the sweetest pet Holley could ask for.
She loved to sleep, relax with her humans, and most importantly, cuddle with her mom, Holley.
Whenever they snuggled together, Petunia would turn into the sweetest baby, completely at ease in the presence of her favorite person.
She even sounded like a human baby – personally, that’s one of the cutest things I’ve recently witnessed online! Check it out:
Besides being Petunia’s proud mom, Holley also took care of another beaver, a one-and-a-half-year-old Tulip.
Introducing the two beaver ‘sisters’ was initially challenging; Petunia immediately tried to climb onto Tulip’s back, while Tulip was not keen on the interaction.
However, they eventually overcame their differences and became fast friends.
They spent most of their days outside playing, swimming in the pool, or just lounging together and were only separated at night when it was time for bed.
When asked about beavers and their significance, Holley, unlike the others, only had words of praise. She said:
“Unfortunately in Mississippi, beavers are classified as a nuisance species. My job as a university research professor is studying how humans and wildlife are all connected. They [beavers] are actually creating healthier environments. They’re protecting humans from floods and fires.”
She added:
“We have to give them their space; they’re the best thing that we have to fight a lot of our environmental problems.”
Living with such amazing animals has been a great privilege for Holley, who feels immense gratitude for having met Petunia.
I hope this honorable woman continues her noble work of protecting beaver lives in Mississippi – and that Petunia and Tulip continue to be her biggest supporters!