Tularemia confirmed in Utah beavers, officials urge public not to touch dead animals
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) reports at least three beavers found dead tested positive for the bacterial infection, tularemia.
In just the past several weeks, DWR says nine beavers were found dead in Summit, Wasatch and Utah counties.
"The bacteria that causes this infection is known to be in the environment in many parts of Utah; however, it is unusual to see this many animals die from it at once," DWR Veterinarian Ginger Stout said.
Tularemia, aka rabbit fever, hare plague and deerfly fever — is caused by a bacteria- Francisella tularensis and is an acute, fatal infectious disease of rabbits, hares and other rodents, including beavers. The disease is present throughout North America and is transmitted through several ways: the bite of a tick or deerfly, by direct contact with blood or tissue from infected animals or by ingestion of contaminated water or undercooked rabbit or hare meat from an infected animal
Humans are susceptible to tularemia, and human cases typically result from the bite of a tick or deerfly in the summer or when someone handles infected animals harvested during hunting or trapping seasons. The disease can be life-threatening for people if not treated quickly, but most infections can be treated successfully with antibiotics.
"There is a concern about the possibility of tick-borne or fly-borne diseases, so it's advised to take the necessary precautions by wearing protective clothing, using appropriate insect repellent and checking for ticks after being in brushy areas," Stout said.
Anyone who sees dead rabbits, beavers or other rodents should not touch the carcasses and should report them to their nearest DWR office.
The last confirmed case of tularemia killing wildlife in Utah was in 2017 with a cottontail rabbit in the Kanab area.