The aggressive harvest is the third case of rabies in Wareham since August 28th.

City of Wareham officials warned the public to stay away from wild animals acting abnormally after an aggressive marmot was tested positive for rabies on Friday.

The groundhog was the third animal in Wareham to have tested positive for rabies this year, and all three were reported between August 28 and September 6, said Cheryl Gorveatt-Dill, Animal Control Manager at Wareham.

"We had a long time without positive [test result]so it's unusual at the moment, "she said.

The Department of Natural Resources in Wareham responded to a request on Thursday regarding a groundhog or an aggressive groundhog in front of a house in the Anthony Way area. The groundhog was captured and sent to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health rabies laboratory for testing. The test results were positive on Friday, Wareham DNR said Saturday in a statement.

The marmot "acted very aggressively and unusually," said Gorveatt-Dill.

On August 28 and September 2, two large brown bats were tested positive for rabies in another part of Wareham. The places where the three animals were found were surrounded by wooded areas, said Gorveatt-Dill.

The first bat was acting "very oddly," she said, "having almost seizures," but the second bat did not show any of the typical symptoms of rabies when she first been captured.

Rabid animals do not always have symptoms, but those with the virus can be particularly aggressive and often behave strangely, according to the DPH. Infected animals can transmit the virus to humans, which can result in death if the victim is not treated promptly.

More than 2,400 animals were tested for rabies in Massachusetts in 2017, and only 96 of them tested positive, according to data from the state's Department of Public Health.

"It's unusual to have three plus points as a result," Gorveatt-Dill said. "We spent a lot of time without one."

The Wareham DNR urges residents to make sure their pets receive the rabies vaccine and to contact the department if they see an animal "acting in an unhealthy or aggressive manner," according to the release.

Andres Picon can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @ etpicon.