An 8-year-old boy was attacked by a beaver while fishing with his family at a lake in Mahwah. The animal suddenly emerged from the water and lunged at the child, biting him on the thigh as he tried to escape.
His family immediately stepped in to drive the beaver away and protect the boy; one of them even grabbed the beaver and desperately threw it back into the water.
The child was taken to a hospital for medical attention, while authorities captured the animal, which later tested positive for rabies. It was also reported that the same beaver had attacked other people earlier that same day.