Source: Fox News
Introduction
Maryland wildlife authorities are actively searching for a beaver following an aggressive encounter at a state park, marking the state's third recorded beaver attack in less than three weeks. The latest incident has heightened public caution across regional recreational areas after two earlier animals tested positive for rabies.
The recent spate of aggressive wildlife behavior has prompted temporary closures and renewed safety warnings from state officials. Although encounters of this nature remain exceptionally uncommon, health and natural resource agencies are closely monitoring the situation.
What Happened
A 10-year-old girl sustained three upper-leg lacerations during an unprovoked wildlife encounter while swimming and wading with an organized group at Seneca Creek State Park. The incident unfolded in Montgomery County at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Thursday near a bend in Seneca Creek close to Berryville Road and the Potomac River.
Quick-thinking camp counselors intervened directly, pulling the animal away from the child before it managed to escape back into the water. Family members subsequently transported the injured minor to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda for medical evaluation and treatment. No other injuries were documented during this specific event.
Later that same day, a separate party of individuals canoeing in the vicinity reported that a beaver aggressively charged their watercraft. Fortunately, that secondary encounter resulted in no injuries or property damage.
Background
Beavers generally tend to avoid direct conflict with humans under normal circumstances, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Wildlife experts note that aggressive interactions of this magnitude primarily involve specimens carrying the rabies virus. Prior to the current string of incidents, the most recent confirmed rabid beaver bites recorded in Maryland occurred in 2015 and 2021.
State officials have emphasized that the Seneca Creek incident appears completely unrelated to earlier wildlife aggression in Frederick County. Investigators point to the significant geographic separation between the parks, alongside the typical home range limitations and social behaviors characteristic of the species, as the basis for this assessment. Furthermore, local health department data currently show no evidence of an active rabies outbreak spanning either Montgomery County or Frederick County.
Timeline
| Date | Location | Incident Details |
|---|---|---|
| July 26 | Cunningham Falls State Park | A beaver attacked a 13-year-old swimmer in Frederick County. |
| August 5 | Cunningham Falls State Park | A beaver bit a 19-year-old fisherman on the ankle at South Beach Day Use area. |
| Thursday | Seneca Creek State Park | A beaver bit a 10-year-old swimmer, marking the third attack in under three weeks. |
Key Details
The broader pattern of incidents began more than 36 miles away at Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County. On July 26, a beaver attacked a 13-year-old swimmer, followed by a second incident on August 5 where a 19-year-old fisherman was bitten on the ankle at the park's South Beach Day Use area.
Following the August 5 encounter, the adult victim traveled independently to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, where medical staff administered a tetanus shot and appropriate rabies exposure treatments. Natural Resources Police successfully captured and euthanized the animals responsible for both Cunningham Falls attacks, and subsequent laboratory testing confirmed that both specimens carried the rabies virus.
Impact
The cluster of attacks has forced regional park authorities to implement immediate public access restrictions to ensure community safety. At Seneca Creek State Park, officials closed roughly one mile of trail and associated river access points near the affected bend until further notice while search operations continue. However, other portions of the park, including the popular Lake Area off Clopper Road in Gaithersburg, remain fully open to visitors.
In response to the earlier discoveries in Frederick County, the Maryland Park Service previously restricted entry to the Houck Day Use Area, the neighboring boat ramp, and Big Hunting Creek situated above the lake. These closures enabled wildlife teams to conduct thorough investigations of the local habitat.
What Happens Next
Wildlife management teams are continuing their active search efforts in the designated closure zone along Seneca Creek to locate and capture the beaver involved in Thursday's attack. State authorities have strongly advised all park visitors to maintain a strict minimum distance of 25 yards from any wild beavers encountered outdoors.
