MD park reopens after no more rabid beavers found

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced Monday afternoon, Aug. 24, that it reopened water access at Hunting Creek Lake and surrounding portions of Cunningham Falls State Park in Thurmont on Monday after extensive monitoring found no evidence of more rabid beavers.

Parts of the state park in northern Frederick County have been closed to the public following two recent attacks by rabid beavers.

The first attack, on July 26, was when a 13-year-old boy was attacked by a beaver while swimming in the lake.

On Aug. 5, a 19-year-old fisherman was bitten on a leg by a beaver in the South Beach day-use area at Hunting Creek Lake.

Both beavers were caught and later tested positive for rabies.

DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service and the Natural Resources Police worked with Maryland Park Service staff to confirm the area was safe to reopen, the announcement states.

“Biologists conducting thermal surveys after sunset were not able to find additional beavers in the Hunting Creek Lake area. Additional monitoring methods including trail cameras, trapping, and sign surveys indicate that no beavers remain in the area. Further, there have been no staff observations of beavers around Hunting Creek Lake,” the release states.

Montgomery County beaver attack remains under investigation

Another beaver incident, at Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County, remains under investigation. The DNR update states that was incident was unrelated to the beaver attacks at Cunningham Falls, which is about 35 miles away.

On Aug. 13, a 10-year-old girl who was swimming and wading in a creek at Seneca Creek State Park was attacked by a beaver, USA Today has reported.

DNR staff found a deceased beaver in the area on Aug. 17. The Maryland Department of Health had the beaver tested, confirming on Aug. 19 that that beaver was positive for rabies, according to a Montgomery County news release. DNR and health officials haven’t been able to determine if the beaver that tested positive for rabies is the same one that attacked the girl.

The park service closed the Berryville Area, Route 28 parking lot, and associated river access points to the public following a beaver attack on Aug. 13. Those areas remain closed.

Officials are still monitoring the area for any signs of beavers.

Beavers are typically non-aggressive and avoid conflict with humans, but people should still maintain a safe minimum viewing distance of 25 yards for all medium-sized wild animals, according to DNR.

Anyone bitten or scratched by any wild animal should immediately seek medical attention.

Reporting by Julie E. Greene, The Herald-Mail / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.