Bats have been acting erratically in a Utah national park, and a visitor was even bitten, wildlife officials said.
Then park officials said one turned up with rabies right outside the visitor center at Arches National Park on Aug. 18.
Now officials are urging park visitors who may have had contact with any bat in the park to visit a medical professional for potential exposure to rabies, officials with the National Park Service said in an Aug. 24 news release.
Officials did not provide information on when the bite was reported and did not elaborate on other “unusual bat behavior” in the park. But the fact that the normally elusive creature got close enough to someone to bite them is a good indicator something might have been off with the bat, officials said.
“Bats are essential to humans and our ecosystems,” officials said in the release. “Less than 1% of bats in nature have rabies, but bats that act strangely or contact humans are up to 10 times more likely to have rabies.”
The rabies virus is spread through saliva during any mucus membrane contact with an infected animal, including bites and scratches, officials said. Bat bites can be quite small and hard to detect, so any physical contact with a bat is considered a potential exposure.
It’s pretty preventable in humans as long as they get proper medical care quickly after exposure, officials said. But if it’s left untreated, it’s almost always fatal.
Anyone who may have had contact with a bat in Arches should see a medical professional as soon as possible, officials said. They should also report the encounter to the NPS Office of Public Health.
Anyone whose pet might have had contact with a bat should notify their veterinarian and discuss treatment, officials said.
Officials didn’t describe the nature of the bat encounter with the person who was bitten but reminded visitors to steer clear of wild animals in national parks.
“Park visitors are advised to observe all wildlife from a safe and respectful distance, and to never pick up or handle any wild animal,” even if it’s sick or injured, officials said on Instagram.
