An eight-year-old boy was hospitalised after being attacked by a beaver that later tested positive for rabies at Lake Henry in Mahwah, New Jersey. The incident occurred just before 6 p.m. on Sunday at the Continental Soldiers Park complex.
According to Mahwah Police Captain Michael Blondin, the boy was fishing near the shoreline when the beaver emerged from the lake and charged at him. The child attempted to flee but tripped, allowing the animal to bite him on the upper thigh and continue the attack.
The boy was treated at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York, after being transported by Mahwah EMS. The attack ceased when a family friend intervened by hitting and kicking the beaver.
Animal control officers captured the beaver, which displayed signs of possible illness, and it was later confirmed to have rabies. The Township of Mahwah issued a Facebook post on Tuesday urging anyone who had contact with the beaver to contact the health department for medical assessment.
Authorities reminded the public that any warm-blooded animal can carry rabies and advised avoiding wildlife. Beavers are common throughout New Jersey, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
