Rabid Beaver Incident Reported at Maryland State Park
WHO:
WTOP - A 19-year-old fisherman was bitten by a beaver.
WBAL-TV - A 13-year-old boy was bitten by a beaver.
WHAT:
WTOP - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has closed large sections of Cunningham Falls State Park, including its boat ramp, creek, and lake areas, following the second beaver attack.
ABC News - The 43-acre Cunningham Falls State Park features Maryland's highest cascading waterfall and attracts more than 575,000 visitors a year.
ABC News - A beaver lodge found in the park was dismantled by the Natural Resources Police (NRP).
WTOP - The beaver that bit the fisherman tested positive for rabies, marking it the second beaver to test positive in the park within two weeks.
WBAL-TV - The fisherman sustained a bite to the ankle and drove himself to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown for treatment.
WBAL-TV - The beaver involved in the Wednesday attack was captured and euthanized for rabies testing.
WTOP - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) closed the Houck Day Use Area, the nearby boat ramp, and Big Hunting Creek above the lake due to the attacks.
WHERE:
WTOP - The incidents occurred at Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County, Maryland, specifically near the South Beach Day Use Area and Hunting Creek Lake.
WBAL-TV - The fisherman was treated at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown.
WHEN:
WTOP - The first beaver tested positive for rabies on July 27.
WBAL-TV - The second attack occurred on a Wednesday morning around 9:30 a.m.
WHY:
WTOP - The DNR is investigating a possible rabies outbreak among the local beaver population following the attacks.
HOW:
ABC News - DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Services has instituted both nighttime and daytime surveillance at the park's lake to remove beavers from the area.
WTOP - DNR will increase daytime surveillance and implement nighttime monitoring at the lake to manage the beaver population.
(UPDATED August 7, 2026 03:56 UTC)
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has closed large sections of Cunningham Falls State Park, including its boat ramp, creek, and lake areas, due to a second beaver attack. This popular park, known for Maryland's highest cascading waterfall, attracts over 575,000 visitors each year, and a beaver lodge found there was recently dismantled by the Natural Resources Police. To address the situation, the DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Services has implemented both nighttime and daytime surveillance at the park's lake to remove the beavers from the area.
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(UPDATED August 7, 2026 00:55 UTC)
A 19-year-old fisherman and a 13-year-old boy were both bitten by beavers at Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County, Maryland, with the fisherman sustaining a bite to the ankle and seeking treatment at Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown. The beaver that bit the fisherman tested positive for rabies, making it the second beaver to show the virus in the park within two weeks, prompting the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to close the Houck Day Use Area and nearby facilities. In response to these incidents, the DNR is investigating a potential rabies outbreak among local beavers and will enhance surveillance and monitoring efforts at the lake.