Rabid bat found near zoo restaurant sparks urgent public health warning: ‘Extremely serious’

Visitors to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (not pictured) are being urged to come forward if they had contact with a wild bat after the animal tested positive for rabies.(Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

The bat was tested by the County Public Health Laboratory, which confirmed it was positive for rabies, San Diego County noted.

This marks the 19th bat to test positive for rabies in San Diego County this year.Twenty-one bats tested positive during all of 2025, according to county officials.

“Rabies is an extremelyserious viral disease, one of the deadliest, with [a] nearly 100% fatality [rate] if not caught early enough,” Dr.Ankita Kadakia, the county’s deputy public health officer, said in a statement. 

“We are investigating to ensure anyone who came into contact with the bat receives care quickly.Once symptoms start, there is no treatment for rabies.”

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Wildlife experts saythe incident serves as a reminderthat people should never handle bats, even though they play an important role in the environment.

People should never handle bats, even though they play an important role in the environment, said experts. (iStock)

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“There are over 20 different species of bats living in San Diego County, and these animals are a huge benefit to our region’s gardens and farms, eating up to1,000 mosquito-sized bugsper hour,” Dr.

“Although it’s rare for bats to carry rabies, it is important to exercise caution and not handle them with bare hands,” Wohl said.

Dr.Brian Collins,a veterinarianwith the Cornell Riney Canine Health Center, based in New York, said bats are one of the primary carriers of rabies in the United States and account for most human rabies cases.

The bat was not part of the Safari Park’s animal collection, and officials said no human contact has been reported.(Amy Sparwasser/iStock)

“If a bat is encountered in public, it is very important not to touch it,�

Instead, he recommended keepingpeople and petsaway from the animal and notifying property management, animal control or local law enforcement.

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“If you know or suspect that you have had physical contact with the bat, you should wash the affected area with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes,” Collins said.