Maryland Closes Park Water Access After 2 Rabid Beavers Attack Visitors

Q: Despite officials destroying a local lodge, why did another aggressive beaver strike?

Because destroying one lodge did not mean all beavers in the area were gone, and officials now suspect a broader rabies problem in the local beaver population. Maryland DNR said that after the July 26 attack, crews dismantled a nearby lodge, closed swimming access and conducted daily surveillance. But they also reported that no other beavers were seen until the Aug. 5 attack. That suggests the aggressive animal that bit the 19-year-old fisherman may have been a different beaver using another den, moving through the lake and creek system, or simply not detected during daytime monitoring. Rabies is the key reason officials believe another attack could happen even after habitat disruption. The first beaver tested positive for rabies, and state and county officials are investigating whether there is a localized outbreak among beavers near Hunting Creek Lake. Rabid mammals can behave abnormally, including appearing during the day, roaming unpredictably and attacking people without provocation. That makes them harder to track by focusing on a single lodge. The second beaver has been euthanized and sent for testing, with results expected later this week. In response, DNR expanded closures and added nighttime monitoring in addition to daytime surveillance, reflecting concern that more infected beavers could still be present and that earlier searches may have missed them.

3 articles · Updated · The Daily Beast · Aug 9

Two rabid beavers attacked visitors at Cunningham Falls State Park within less than two weeks, leading officials to euthanize both animals and shut all water access.
A 13-year-old boy was bitten while swimming on July 26 and airlifted to Johns Hopkins Hospital; a 19-year-old man was bitten Wednesday while fishing and treated for rabies exposure and a tetanus shot.
Wildlife officials are searching for other infected animals, calling the beavers a human health emergency as swimming, fishing and boating remain closed.
Rabies is fatal without prompt treatment, though doctors said timely post-exposure care is virtually 100% effective and rabid beavers are extremely rare.
Frederick County recorded 38 rabid animals last year, but none were beavers, underscoring concern about a possible localized outbreak at the park.