The headline of this bizarre story from FoxNews.com speaks for itself: “Wild Beavers Terrorize Philadelphia.”
Here are some details of the strange rash of attacks.
Pennsylvania game wardens remained stumped
Sunday about a spate of “truly bizarre” rabid beaver attacks in and
around Philadelphia.Three people were bitten by a beaver last
week in Pennypack Park in the city’s northeastern section before the
animal was killed and officials determined it had rabies, according to MyFoxPhilly.A married couple was fishing on Wednesday when the large beaver bit the woman’s leg, then turned on her husband and bit him in both arms and on his chest, the Pennsylvania Game Commission said.
On Thursday, a child was bitten in the same
park. A short time later, a park ranger located the beaver nearby. That
animal was killed and tested positive for rabies at a Health Department lab. Game wardens are looking through the park for other beavers that could be infected.
As the story notes, beavers are certainly susceptible to rabies, but they aren’t typically stricken with the disease in large numbers like raccoons or skunks. And it’s even more unusual to experience a beaver rabies outbreak inside Philadelphia.
