A Vermont man is recovering after he was attacked by a beaver while swimming in Lake George in New York. Brandon Shortsleeve was in the water with his brother and a friend when the beaver started attacking his friend.

Shortsleeve said, ‘The first time my friend ended up picking it up, it swam back at him, so we were like, OK, it’s just out for blood.’ They had just gotten into the water off Turtle Island on the Fourth of July when it happened.

Beaver Behavior

Beavers are typically afraid of humans, but officials say one with rabies may lose that fear. ‘If you see a beaver approaching you, whether you’re swimming or boating, that would be considered abnormal beaver behavior,’ said Jackie Lendrum, the DEC Fish and Wildlife Division director.

Shortsleeve and his friend are doing OK. They’re going through the rabies shot cycle. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is asking visitors to Turtle Island to be cautious.

Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.