A man claims that he is "lucky to be alive" after being mauled by a rabid beaver.
Beaver
Mark Pieraccini reportedly suffered a number of injuries when he was attacked by the creature in Massachusetts earlier this month.
It is claimed that Pieraccini, 73, suffered multiple puncture wounds, flesh torn from his arm and lacerations over his body and scalp.
The man explained that he had been left exhausted by his struggle against the animal, which he estimates lasted for about five minutes.
He told The Republican newspaper: "At some point, I said to myself, 'If I stop and fight him one more time, I'm going to drown.'"
Pieraccini is also undergoing treatment for rabies and sustained a fractured knuckle on one hand from punching the beaver as it attacked him.