Visitors to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are being urged to come forward if they had contact with a wild bat after the animal tested positive for rabies.A deceased wild bat was recovered outside the Oasis on the Rocks restaurant on July 11.It later tested positive for rabies, according to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park."Safari Park visitors who had no physical contact with the bat are not at risk for rabies," the park told Fox News Digital.'UNSUPERVISED' CHILD AT HERSHEYPARK ZOO INJURED BY WOLF AFTER CRAWLING UNDER SAFETY BARRIERCounty health officials are asking anyone who may have had direct contact with the bat to come forward for evaluation. The bat was not part of the Safari Park's animal collection — and officials said no human contact has been reported.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 extremely serious viral disease, one of the deadliest, with [a] nearly 100% fatality [rate] if not caught early enough," said Dr.
Ankita Kadakia, the county's deputy public health officer, in a statement. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER"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," Kadakia said.Wildlife experts say the incident serves as a reminder that 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)"There are over 20 diffe...