A wave of fear has gripped Cunningham Falls State Park in Maryland following two alarming attacks by rabid beavers, leading to a partial closure of the popular recreational area. The first incident on July 26 saw a 13-year-old boy airlifted to Johns Hopkins Hospital with severe injuries to his hands and chest after a rabid beaver attacked him while swimming in Hunting Creek Lake. The aggressive animal was euthanized and subsequently tested positive for rabies, prompting an immediate closure of swimming access to the lake. Just days later, on August 5, a 19-year-old fisherman narrowly escaped a similar fate, being bitten on the ankle by another beaver that also tested positive for rabies after being euthanized. Park officials are now implementing extensive measures, including setting traps and conducting thermal imaging surveys, to ensure the safety of the remaining areas, which are still open for camping and hiking, as they work to confirm no other infected beavers pose a threat to the park’s hundreds of thousands of annual visitors. Experts are urging extreme caution around wildlife, noting that rabid animals often display unusual aggression and disorientation, and emphasizing the critical need for immediate medical attention, including rabies vaccinations, for anyone bitten or scratched by a wild animal, as the disease is fatal if left untreated.
Adapted from: Travel News Today on Fox News