A beaver attack has occurred in the USA: a beaver suspected of rabies attacked a stand-up paddler on Beaver Lake and bit it several times. When the surfer fell into the water, the beaver snapped. I don't want to withhold this grotesque story from you. 

"I saw it splash, but not why it splashed there like that!" Reports 67-year-old Betsy Bent, who does not SUP beginner has been doing water sports on Beaver Lake for 22 years and was doing stand-up paddling: an aggressive beaver tips over the SUP board and bites into the surfer's leg. “The beaver got under my board and tipped it over. He then bit into my leg and didn’t want to let go!” reports the surfer. “I didn't know what kind of animal it was at the time, but I was aware that there were no great white sharks in Beaver Lake.

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Beaver attack in the USA – the animal doesn't let up

When Bent fell into the water, the beaver attacked. “I screamed: Help, I'm bitten!” said the elderly woman. “A friendly angler waved at me and signaled me to come over to him. Meanwhile the beaver turned around and attacked me again! Grabbed first my left hand and then my right hand!” The angler helped Stand Up Paddler, to shoo the beaver away from her and brought Mrs. Bent safely to shore. She was then transported to nearby Mission Hospital for treatment of her numerous wounds. “Since beavers are used to chewing on hard objects, I got some pretty nasty wounds that had to be stitched,” reports the 67-year-old.

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After a beaver attack on a stand-up paddler – rabies is the biggest danger for the athlete

After the attack, the suspicion of rabies was the biggest problem for the sportswoman: As a precaution, after the beaver attack, she was given appropriate rabies treatment as a precaution, which lasted several days. The beaver was then also tested for rabies. That such a Animal Reported as rabies is extremely rare in the region: Typically, wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes suffer from this serious viral disease, which is often transmitted through animal bites.

The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing the disease to penetrate the brain and lead to death. Treatment for Bent prevents the disease from spreading. An Asheville Police Department officer said efforts would be made to capture and examine the animal after the beaver attack. The beaver was caught shortly afterwards on July 09, 2016. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory spokeswoman Christina Hallingse said, “The beaver was captured and then transported to the state laboratory in Raleigh for inspection. Further tests are planned. "

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After beaver attack – biologist calls behavior unusual

Mike Carraway, a wildlife biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, said it was unusual for beavers to attack people. "It's pretty rare, but it has happened before," Carraway said. "In a situation like this, if it's rabies, you need treatment as soon as possible."

Stand up paddler Bent said she googled beaver attacks and found that the animals can be aggressive when defending their dams or young." The 67-year-old athlete shared that she often travels on the lake. She had never fallen off her stand up paddle board before the incident. She also doesn't want people to get a bad impression of the popular North Asheville lake: "We've lived up the street here for 22 years," Bent said. “It’s a wonderful lake. This is just a bizarre accident. I will be stand up paddling on the lake again soon!

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Have you ever had an animal encounter while stand up paddling? Share your experiences in the comments.