Dangerous rabid beavers attack 2 teens, with 1 airlifted and popular park partially closed

Doctors who were interviewed said beavers typically avoid people.But the virus affects their brains and can cause them to lose fear — and attack.(iStock)

“Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff, including wildlife specialists and park staff, are working to ensure the safety of the area and confirm that there are no additional beavers present,” said Zimmermann. 

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He noted that in addition to traps which have been set up since the first incident, wildlife staff are conducting nighttime surveys of the lake area with thermal imaging.

During this time, staff have checked the surrounding area for signs of beavers, and workers remain vigilantthroughout the entire park,he said.

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Cunningham Falls State Park has many visitors in the summer.The park welcomedmore than 455,000 visitors in 2025, according to the park’s spokesperson.

Rabies is most commonly transmitted from contact — usually a bite or scratch — with an infected animal, Dr.Roy Gulick, chief of

(iStock)

Globally, up to 99% of human rabies cases come from transmission by infected dogs, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

“In the U.S., canine rabies was largely eliminated by the 1970s ” said Gulick.

Just like humans,dogs can get rabiesfrom contact with infected wildlife, according to Brian Labus, an infectious disease epidemiologist and associate professor at the UNLV School of Public Health in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“The virus can be found in the saliva of infected animals,” Labus said. 

It’s important to exercise caution aroundwild animalsand avoid close exposure, said Dr.Cheyenne Falat, associate medical director, Adult Emergency Department, University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

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Gulick, Falat and Labus all indicated there are clear warning signs.If a beaver shows unusual aggressive behavior by approaching or charging humans or domestic animals, parkgoers are urged to be cautious.

Cunningham Falls State Park, pictured here, welcomed more than 455,000 visitors in 2025, according to a park spokesperson.(iStock)

The doctors said beavers typically avoid people.But the virus affects their brains and can cause them to lose fear.

Beavers can become disoriented or uncoordinated.Rabid nocturnal animals can display uncharacteristic daytime exposure.They may exhibit excess salivation, abnormal coordination or abnormal vocalization, the doctors said.

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Experts say that if people are bitten orscratched by a wild animal, they should move to safety to avoid being bitten again, wash their wound with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes and seek medical attention immediately.

Doctors urge visitors in Cunningham Falls State Park, pictured here, and other parks to be aware of their surroundings.(iStock)

Medical treatment includes receiving a series of rabies vaccines. 

Individuals should not try to catch the animal themselves, but instead should report the sighting to animal control or health authorities, experts said. 

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If bitten by a beaver, an individual should go to a hospital immediately for a rabies shot, as rabies can be fatal if left untreated, the doctors said.