Seneca Creek State Park fully reopens following beaver attack, month of rabies monitoring

Seneca Creek State Park has fully reopened in Montgomery County, Maryland following a beaver attack that prompted a month of rabies monitoring in parts of the park. 

Maryland's Department of Natural Resources shared an update Wednesday, saying the areas that had been closed since the attack are back open to the public. 

"DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Service and Maryland Park Service concluded monitoring and have found no additional rabid beavers in the area," the department wrote in an update on its website. 

The beaver attack happened back on Aug. 13 when a 10-year-old girl attending summer camp was bitten at a popular swimming hole in Seneca Creek near Berryville Road, according to the DNR. She suffered cuts on her upper leg and was treated at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda.

Another group that was canoeing in the park that day also reported a beaver charging at one of their boats. No one was injured in that incident. 

The DNR closed the area of the park around where the girl was bitten, and wildlife experts began a search for any sick animals. 

On Aug. 17, a dead beaver was discovered in the park, and it later tested positive for rabies. However, the department said it could not confirm whether it was the same beaver from the attack.

"Concluding their search for other sick animals, DNR wildlife experts are now reasonably assured that Seneca Creek State Park is past the heightened risk following the attack," Wednesday's update read. 

Advice for avoiding another attack

The DNR wants people to be aware that rabies and wildlife interactions are dangerous.

They urged people visiting public lands and natural spaces to remember the following: 

• Observe animals from a safe distance and never approach, touch, feed, or attempt to interact with wildlife.
• Give wildlife plenty of space and allow animals a clear path to move away.
• Keep pets on a leash at all times.
• Refrain from feeding wildlife, which can cause animals to lose their natural fear of people and may lead to dangerous encounters.
• Immediately report to park staff any concerns such as an animal behaving unusually, aggressively, or otherwise appearing sick or injured.

Reports of rabies cases across Maryland

Several encounters involving rabid animals have been reported in recent months. 

Earlier this summer, two people were bitten by beavers at Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County. A 13-year-old swimmer was attacked on July 26, followed by a 19-year-old fisherman on Aug. 5. In both incidents, the beavers were caught, euthanized and later tested positive for rabies. 

Multiple raccoons and bats have tested positive for rabies in Anne Arundel and Harford counties, along with at least one fox in Baltimore County. It was not immediately known whether any of these animals came into contact with people or pets. 

Just weeks ago, Harford County reported 16 confirmed cases involving rabid raccoons, the highest number in any county statewide. Officials responded with an Oral Rabies Vaccination Program, buying 15,000 oral rabies vaccines to be placed inside bait for raccoons to eat.

"We're going to have these interactions, so reducing the amount of rabies saves people in vet visits, saves people in medical costs, ER visits for post-exposure treatments, and that's really what we're trying to reduce here," said Bonnie Harbin, program supervisor with the Harford County Health Department.

The county's health department also recently put out a warning for parents after a bat that was found flying inside St. Margaret's Elementary School in Bel Air tested positive for rabies. Officials would not say whether anyone was hurt in that incident. 

CDC addresses rise in rabies activity

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement last week addressing what it called "increases in recent animal rabies activity and associated human exposure." 

The agency issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory to warn doctors, health departments and the public about the rise in cases nationwide. 

"During the summer of 2026, reports of animal exposures and rabies post-exposure vaccinations have increased across the country," the statement read in part. 

The CDC said rabies is preventable if people who have been exposed receive the rabies vaccine before their symptoms begin. 

"CDC urges clinicians to conduct careful, evidence-based rabies risk assessments and follow current ACIP recommendations when post-exposure vaccination or treatment is indicated," the statement continued. "Proper administration of rabies vaccine and human rabies immune globulin is critical to ensuring patients receive effective protection while avoiding unnecessary treatment, costs, and strain on supplies."

The agency urged anyone who may have been exposed to contact a health care provider or health department for guidance.