Rabid Beaver Bites 8-Year-Old Boy in NJ Lake

An 8-year-old boy was bitten by a rabid beaver while fishing along the shoreline of Lake Henry in Mahwah, New Jersey, on Sunday evening, according to local police and township officials.

The incident occurred around 6 p.m. at the Continental Soldiers Park complex. Mahwah Police Capt. Michael Blondin said the boy was casting a line from the bank when the beaver emerged from the water and charged directly at him. The child attempted to flee but tripped, allowing the animal to bite him in the upper thigh and continue the attack. A family acquaintance nearby intervened, striking and kicking the beaver until it retreated, though it remained in the area, circling the shoreline.

Video footage from the scene showed bystanders, including family members and two dogs, fending off the aggressive rodent near the water's edge. One person threw the beaver back into the lake, while others pushed and kicked it away as it advanced again. Mahwah Emergency Medical Services transported the boy to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York, for treatment. His condition was not immediately released.

Police investigations revealed the same beaver had approached or attacked other park visitors earlier...