UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn. -- A Penn State student nicknamed “The Squirrel Whisperer” is getting national attention after befriending wild animals on campus.
Happy Valley is home to thousands of students and is also home to thousands of bushy-tailed squirrels.
No one seems to know them better than Penn State Junior Mary Krupa, whose parents were a bit worried she might be “bullied for making friends with the squirrels.” But she said the response to her online project has been overwhelmingly positive and that folks adore the originality and creativity of her creations.
Krupa and a special squirrel she named “Sneezy” have become an internet sensation.
In fact, “Sneezy's” Facebook page has even scored more "likes" than the school’s famed Nittany Lion. One Germany magazine even mistook the squirrel for the school’s mascot.
What makes “Sneezy” so special is that she allows Krupa to dress her up in tiny hats made of paper shades. Krupa then snaps photos of the animal gripping doll-sized props.
"As long as she has food she is completely relaxed and really comfortable with people,” Krupa explained. “She is just the most sweet laid back squirrel ever. A lot of people think I trained the squirrel but I don't, she's always been like that."
But “Sneezy” has not become too tame. When she's done playing dress up, she scampers back off into the trees.
