MAHWAH, N.J. — A rabid beaver attacked a young boy and several other people at Lake Henry in Mahwah before the animal was eventually thrown back into the water during the chaotic encounter, according to township officials and witness accounts.
The incident happened Sunday, May 3, when the aggressive beaver approached people gathered near the lake. Witnesses said the animal repeatedly attacked individuals in the area, including a child who was bitten during the encounter.
Video from the scene shows the confusion unfolding as bystanders attempted to get away from the animal. At one point, the boy involved in the attack picked up the beaver and threw it back into the lake after it continued lunging at people nearby.
The Mahwah Township Health Department later confirmed the beaver tested positive for rabies. Officials said multiple individuals had contact with the animal and those who were bitten are now receiving medical treatment and rabies post-exposure shots.
“If you have had any contact with this animal, please notify the Mahwah Township Health Department immediately,” the township said in a public alert. “You will need to be assessed by a doctor for medical treatment.”
Health officials reminded residents that rabies can be carried by any warm-blooded animal and urged the public never to approach or handle wildlife behaving aggressively or unusually.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms begin. However, prompt treatment following exposure is highly effective at preventing infection.
The incident remains under investigation by local health authorities.