Rabid bat found near zoo restaurant sparks urgent public health warning: 'Extremely serious' - Fox News

What the report says

Fox News reported that visitors to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are being asked to contact county health officials if they physically touched a wild bat found dead near the park’s Oasis on the Rocks restaurant. The bat was recovered on July 11 and later tested positive for rabies, according to information cited from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and San Diego County.

The park told Fox News Digital that people who did not have physical contact with the bat are not considered at risk. Officials said the bat was not part of the Safari Park’s animal collection, and no human contact had been reported at the time of the article. San Diego County’s Public Health Laboratory confirmed the rabies result, making it the 19th rabid bat identified in the county this year; county officials said 21 bats tested positive during all of 2025.

Dr. Ankita Kadakia, the county’s deputy public health officer, described rabies as a highly dangerous viral disease that is almost always fatal if not addressed before symptoms develop. She said officials are investigating so anyone who may have been exposed can receive care quickly.

Fox also cited wildlife and veterinary experts who stressed that bats should not be handled, even though they benefit ecosystems by eating insects. Dr. Alexis Wohl of the San Diego Humane Society said rabies in bats is uncommon but caution is needed. Dr. Brian Collins of Cornell’s Riney Canine Health Center advised people to keep others and pets away from bats, alert authorities or property managers, and wash any suspected contact area with soap and water while seeking evaluation.