Rabid bobcat attacks camp counselor as he slept at Selden Neck Island in Lyme

By Kristina Russo, Luke Hajdasz and Rob Polansky

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    LYME, Connecticut (WFSB) — A bobcat attacked camp counselor as he slept in his hammock at Selden Neck State Park in Lyme early Friday morning.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection confirmed to Channel 3 on Monday that the bobcat tested positive for rabies.

There are treatments for the person attacked.

An emergency doctor from Lawrence and Memorial Hospital said he likely got a first dose of a rabies vaccine as well as some antibodies.

This happened early Friday when the rabid bobcat attacked a camp counselor sleeping in his hammock.

The key here was time.

Because this attack only happened friday, it’s good news for the man hurt.

“It is treatable, he can absolutely get treatment now that they know and they can successfully treat him. But once you have rabies, no, it is fatal,” said Dr. Cynthia Tucker with the Lawrence & Memorial Hospital Emergency Department.

“That he actually attacked somebody….you said he was rabid? That explains it all. That’s the scariest part of animals in the wild,” said Henry Monterose of Hadlyme.

The park is only accessible by boat.

That was how campers were rescued.

The attack happened around 2 a.m. on Friday.

Nine children and three adults were camping on the island as part of the Department of Children and Families’ Wilderness School, an outdoor program for young people in the state.

None of the children were involved in the attack.

The three adults were able to kill the bobcat.

All three adults were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

“Last evening, three of our seasonal staff from the Wilderness School were attacked by a wildlife animal while on an off-site expedition with local youth.

Due to their courageous and outstanding efforts, the safety of the youth was maintained, and they were not harmed.

The Wilderness School is a prevention, intervention and transition program for adolescents across Connecticut. It offers year-round wilderness programs ranging in length from one day to 20-day expeditions that include hiking, camping, canoeing and other experiences. The group was in an authorized area for camping.

We are grateful for the assistance provided by first responders and for our partners at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for their collaboration.

Please keep these our staff members, youth, their families, and friends in your thoughts.”

Michael Williams, deputy commissioner, CT DCF

Ellie Prowell said she has paddled to Selden Neck State Park before.

“There’s some little inlets with some campsites but otherwise it’s kind of wild,” Prowell said.

It was wild enough to be home to a bobcat that got a little too aggressive.

“Almost certain it is sick or there is something health-wrong with it,” said Elise Bouthillier, state Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police.

Dr. Cynthia Tucker from the Lawrence & Memorial Hospital emergency department said there were tell-tale signs that something was wrong with the animal.

“Animals like a bobcat are generally not going to attack a person,” Tucker said. “They are going to be secretive, running away from you and an animal that acts outside of its character and attacks a human for example in this scenario is very suspicious.”

Bouthillier said bobcat attacks are rare. There have only been five reported since 2020.

“To see a bobcat that wants anything to do with a human or a even a large dog or animal is very, very rare,” Bouthillier said. “In those cases I would say 9 or 9.5 times out of 10 it’s because there’s something wrong with that cat.”

DEEP had some advice for what should people do if they come across a bobcat.

“Make loud noise, try to scare it off,” Bouthillier said. “Back away, leave the area slowly. Don’t run [because] that does tend to trigger their prey drive.”

Tucker said that it’s important to go to the doctor right away if someone is bitten by an animal that may be rabid.

Last week’s trip was cut short and campers were taken off the island.

Deep River, Essex, and Chester Fire Departments had to use boats to remove them.

Crews went back over the weekend to retrieve the camping equipment campers left behind.

“I live just up the road here from the launch next to the ferry and we see people camping and launching their kayaks and canoes to go down to Selden all the time,” Prowell said.

DEEP said these types of incidents are rare.

They typically only happen when an animal is rabid.

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