News

After Court Restores Research Funding, Trump Still Has Paths to Target Harvard

News

‘Honestly, I’m Fine with It’: Eliot Residents Settle In to the Inn as Renovations Begin

News

He Represented Paul Toner. Now, He’s the Fundraising Frontrunner in Cambridge’s Municipal Elections.

News

Harvard College Laundry Prices Increase by 25 Cents

News

DOJ Sues Boston and Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 Over Sanctuary City Policy

Beaver Alert

By Massachusetts DAILY Collegian

A pair of infected beavers let loose from a nearby research center threw the University of Massachusetts at Amherst into turmoil last week.

Despite the best efforts of campus police to track down the dangerous rodents before they came in contact with any people, the duo proved adept at eluding pursuers.

Epidemic

The pair of beavers, infected with giardiasis disease--commonly known as back-packer's or hiker's disease because it is transmitted through outdoor water sources--could be "epidemic to people," said Wendell Dodge, director of the cooperative wildlife research unit at the Research Center.

Don't Drink the Water

Dodge said the disease is a protozoan flagellate disease that causes diarrhea. Were a human to drink from a stream that one of the infected beavers had contaminated, the human could possibly become infected, Dodge said.

No Suspect

There are no suspects in the case and as of Sunday, the beavers were still at large.

Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter.

Tags