Beaver Tests Positive for Tularemia in Glacier National Park
The disease is rarely seen in the park, but officials warn it spreads easily to humans and pets that come into contact with wildlife
By Jules Lingenfelter
On Thursday, Glacier National Park officials announced that a beaver located between Upper and Lower St. Mary Lakes tested positive for tularemia. The bacterial disease, park officials stated in a press release, is rare but can be serious.
Commonly known as rabbit fever, the highly infectious disease primarily affects rabbits, beavers and other small rodents; due to the quick period between contraction and death, infected animals are often found already dead.
Park officials warn that humans and pets are also susceptible to tularemia through transmission from infected animals, bites from infected ticks, and ingestion of contaminated food and water. The disease is rarely spread from human to human.
Tularemia can be treated through antibiotics if caught early. Humans often experience flu-like symptoms like fever and chills, joint and chest pain, muscle aches, as well as skin ulcers or sores near a tick bite and swollen lymph nodes. Symptoms typically appear three to five days after exposure, though onset can take up to 21 days.
To reduce risk of infection, visitors are advised to remain a safe distance from wildlife, only drink water that has been treated, wear insect repellent and wash hands frequently when recreating in the park.
Visitors can report suspected infected animals to a park resource manager and National Park Wildlife Health. Any confirmed infection in a human should be reported to the National Park Office of Public Health and a healthcare provider. More information regarding tularemia can be found on the NPS website.