Biting rabid beavers prompt partial closure of popular Maryland park
One euthanized beaver tested positive for rabies, officials said.
All recreational water areas of one of Maryland's most popular state parks remained closed on Thursday as authorities investigated what they said is a "possible rabies outbreak within the local beaver population."
Parts of Cunnington Falls State Park were closed to the public following two rabid beaver attacks on humans in less than two weeks, authorities said.
The latest beaver attack at the park in Frederick County, about 66 miles northwest of Baltimore, occurred on Wednesday when a 19-year-old man reported that he was bitten in the ankle by an aggressive beaver while fishing in the park, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (NRP).
The victim, whose name was not released, drove himself to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, Maryland, where he was treated, officials said.
"Following the attack, NRP officers caught and euthanized the beaver," the NRP said in a statement.
A Frederick County Health Department spokesperson told ABC News that test results came back Thursday afternoon and determined the beaver had rabies.
The attack followed an incident on July 26 at the same park in which a 13-year-old swimmer was bitten by a beaver that was also captured, euthanized and tested positive for rabies, NRP officials said.
In response to Wednesday's attack, officials closed large sections of the park, including its boat ramp, creek and lake areas.
"Swimming, fishing, boating, and all water access are prohibited until the area can be confirmed safe for visitors," the NRP statement said.
The 43-acre Cunningham Falls State Park features Maryland's highest cascading waterfall and attracts more than 575,000 visitors a year, according to state officials.
DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Services said it has instituted nighttime and daytime surveillance at the park's lake in an effort to remove beavers from the park.
A beaver lodge found in the park was also dismantled, according to the NRP.
"Beaver attacks on people are rare and are thought to primarily involve rabid animals," the NRP said in its statement.
Before this summer, the last recorded beaver attack in Maryland occurred in 2021, the agency said.
"Beavers are typically non-aggressive and avoid conflict with humans, but people should still maintain a safe minimum viewing distance of 25 yards," the NRP statement said.
Earlier this year, an 8-year-old boy was injured when he was attacked by a beaver at Henry Lake in Mahwah, New Jersey, according to the Mahwah Health Department.
The Mahwah Police Department said the boy was fishing with his family from the shoreline of Henry Lake on May 3 when the beaver came out of the water and charged at the boy, biting him in the upper thigh when he tripped and fell.
A bystander video of the Mahwah beaver attack was obtained by ABC New York station WABC and showed a member of the child's family pulling the beaver off the child and hurling the animal back into the lake.
The Mahwah Health Department said the beaver was captured, euthanized and tested positive for rabies. The health department said the child and several other people who were bitten while rescuing the boy from the animal underwent treatment for rabies.
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