Disease killing beavers in Utah 'can spread to humans,' officials warn trends now
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A dead disease is infecting beavers throughout Utah, which experts warn could become life-threatening to humans.
The disease, called tularemia, is also known as rabbit fever, hare plague and deer fly fever that can cause ulcers on the skin and swollen glands, among other symptoms if passed to a human.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has found the remains of nine beavers who died of tularemia, which has shocked experts because the last animal death connected with the disease was in 2017.
The disease is typically transmitted from a tick or deerfly bite, by coming into direct contact with the blood of infected animals, drinking contaminated water or ingesting undercooked rabbit meat from an infected animal.
Nine beavers were found dead throughout three counties in Utah, and tests showed they had contracted rabbit fever, also called tularemia
Symptoms of tularemia (pictured) include skin ulcers, swollen glands and can escalate to coughing up blood and fevers over 103 degrees Fahrenheit
The beavers' carcasses were found across three counties including Utah, Summit and Wasatch and tests on three of the animals were positive for tularemia.
Although the disease is prevalent throughout much of the area, what's surprising to local wildlife officials is the growing number of animals dying from it.
'The bacteria that causes this infection is known to be in the environment in many parts of Utah;
