Maryland state park reopens after 2 rabid beaver attacks
Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County, Maryland (Courtesy Maryland Department of Natural Resources)
THURMONT, Md. - A state park located in Frederick County, Maryland, reopened after two rabid beaver attacks.
What we know:
The Maryland Park Service closed portions of Cunningham Falls State Park in early August after two people were attacked by rabid beavers.
Water access reopened on Monday at Hunting Creek Lake and surrounding parts of the park after extensive monitoring did not reveal any rabid animals, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials said.
On July 26, a 13-year-old was bitten while swimming, and on Aug. 5, a 19-year-old was bitten while fishing. The beavers in both instances tested positive for rabies.
Since the attacks, the DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service and DNR Police have worked with National Park Service (NPS) officials to confirm the area was safe to reopen.
Biologists conducted thermal surveys after sunset and were not able to find additional beavers in the Hunting Creek Lake Area, officials said. Additional methods of monitoring, including trail cameras, trapping and sign surveys, indicated there were no beavers in the area.
A separate beaver attack at Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County led to portions of that park being shut down. The incident, in which a 10-year-old girl was bitten, is still under investigation.
READ MORE | Beaver tests positive for rabies at Montgomery County park after attack
Days after the attack, a dead beaver was found and tested positive for rabies.
According to DNR officials, beavers are usually not aggressive and avoid conflict. However, people should maintain a safe distance of at least 25 yards at all times.
At least two more animals have tested positive for rabies in Maryland since the beaver attacks.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.