Maryland wildlife officials are searching for a beaver that attacked a 10-year-old girl at Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County, marking the state's third reported beaver attack in less than three weeks.
The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon when the girl was swimming and wading with an organized group at the park. A beaver approached her and bit her around the upper leg area before being removed by camp counselors. The girl suffered three lacerations and was taken to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda for treatment.
No other injuries were reported, but a separate group of people canoeing in the area also encountered an aggressive beaver that attempted to charge their boat. Wildlife officials have closed a section of the park, including roughly one mile of trail and river access points, while they search for the beaver involved in the attack.
This incident follows two previous beaver attacks at Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County, more than 36 miles away. In those cases, both beavers were caught and euthanized after testing positive for rabies. Health department data show no indication of a rabies outbreak in either county.
Beaver attacks on people are rare, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and are often associated with animals infected with rabies. The agency recommends maintaining a minimum distance of 25 yards from beavers in the wild to avoid conflicts.
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