Second Rabid Beaver Confirmed at Maryland State Park After Man Is Attacked While Fishing

A second rabid beaver has been confirmed at a Maryland state park just days after another infected beaver was discovered at the same location, prompting officials to close portions of the park and warn visitors who may have been exposed.

The latest case comes from Cunningham Falls State Park's William Houck Area near Thurmont, Maryland, where a man was attacked by a beaver while fishing at Hunting Creek Lake on August 5. The animal was captured following the attack, and laboratory testing by the Maryland Department of Health confirmed on August 6 that it was infected with rabies.

The diagnosis marks the second rabid beaver identified at the park within two weeks, raising concerns about increased rabies activity in local wildlife during one of the busiest times of the year for outdoor recreation.

A Rare Species, But a Serious Disease

Rabies is commonly associated with raccoons, bats, foxes, and skunks in the United States. Beavers, however, are only occasional victims of the virus.

Experts believe the infected beavers likely acquired rabies after encounters with infected raccoons, which serve as the primary wildlife reservoir for the raccoon rabies virus variant throughout much of the eastern United States. Unlike raccoons, beavers are not considered a species capable of maintaining ongoing rabies transmission within their own population.

Even so, two infected animals appearing in the same park over such a short period suggests localized rabies activity in surrounding wildlife.

Human Exposure Changes the Situation

While wildlife cases are routinely identified through surveillance programs, this incident carries added public health significance because it involved a confirmed attack on a person.

Rabies remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases known. Once clinical signs develop, the disease is almost universally fatal. Fortunately, prompt wound care and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are highly effective at preventing illness when administered soon after exposure.

Health officials are urging anyone who was bitten or scratched by a beaver at or near Cunningham Falls State Park to immediately contact their healthcare provider and the Frederick County Health Department. Separate guidance has also been issued for owners whose pets or livestock may have had contact with wildlife in the area.

Park Areas Closed While Investigation Continues

In response to the second confirmed case, officials temporarily closed the William Houck day-use area, the boat ramp, and portions of Big Hunting Creek upstream of Hunting Creek Lake while investigators continue assessing the situation.

The closures are intended to reduce the risk of additional human exposures while wildlife officials evaluate whether other infected animals may be present in the area.

Because the park is a popular destination for fishing, boating, hiking, and swimming during the summer months, officials are asking visitors to respect all closures and avoid approaching wildlife, even if animals appear calm or injured.

What Veterinarians Should Know

For veterinarians, the event serves as another reminder that wildlife spillover remains an important source of rabies exposure for domestic animals.

Dogs and cats that encounter infected wildlife may require immediate veterinary evaluation, quarantine, or booster vaccination depending on their vaccination status and the nature of the exposure. Livestock can also become infected following bites from rabid wildlife.

Veterinarians practicing in rabies-endemic regions should continue emphasizing the importance of keeping pets current on rabies vaccinations, particularly for animals that spend time outdoors or accompany owners on hiking, camping, or fishing trips.

Don't Assume an Aggressive Animal Is Just "Protective"

Beavers are generally shy, non-aggressive animals that avoid human contact whenever possible.

Unprovoked aggression, disorientation, unusual daytime activity, or a lack of fear around people should always raise concern for rabies or another neurologic disease.

Anyone who observes wildlife behaving abnormally should avoid approaching the animal and report it to local animal control or wildlife authorities.

While rabies is well controlled in the United States through vaccination and surveillance programs, thousands of people still require post-exposure treatment each year following animal bites.

The two infected beavers at Cunningham Falls State Park are a reminder that although rabies cases in unusual wildlife species are uncommon, they can and do occur—and recognizing abnormal wildlife behavior remains one of the most important tools for preventing human and animal exposures.