Maryland wildlife officials are searching for a beaver that attacked a 10-year-old girl at Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County. The incident occurred on Thursday around 3:30 PM while the girl was swimming with a group. Camp counselors intervened, and the girl sustained three lacerations to her upper leg, requiring treatment at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda. This attack marks the third reported beaver attack in the state within three weeks.
The area around the attack, including approximately one mile of trail and river access points, has been closed while wildlife teams search for the beaver. Other areas of Seneca Creek State Park remain open. In a separate incident, a group canoeing reported a beaver attempting to charge their boat, but no injuries occurred.
Prior to this incident, two beaver attacks were reported at Cunningham Falls State Park, located over 36 miles away. A 13-year-old swimmer was attacked on July 26, and a 19-year-old fisherman was bitten on August 5. Both beavers involved in those attacks were captured and euthanized, testing positive for rabies. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stated that the recent attack at Seneca Creek is not linked to the previous incidents due to the distance between the parks and the behavior of beavers. There is no indication of a rabies outbreak in either Frederick or Montgomery Counties, according to DNR. Beaver attacks on humans are rare and typically involve rabid animals. The agency advises maintaining a distance of at least 25 yards from beavers in the wild.