Wild Animals Test Positive For Tularemia Disease

(Salt Lake City, UT) — Utah wildlife officials are urging residents to report any dead rabbits and rodents after three dead beavers recently tested positive for tularemia. The disease is caused by bacteria spread by tick or deerfly bites. Dogs and humans can catch the disease. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials say five beavers who shared a lodge died near the Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, an area north of Park City, between March 23rd and April 2nd. Division biologists discovered another dead beaver near Midway on April 5th. Three more beavers were found dead in Utah County, from April 8th to the 10th, as well as a vole which is a rodent species, near the Jordanelle Dam.