Rabid Bat Found at San Diego Zoo Safari Park Restaurant, County Health Officials Seek Contacts

A wild bat found dead outside the Oasis on the Rocks restaurant at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park has tested positive for rabies, according to San Diego County officials.

The bat was discovered at 12:10 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, and collected by a trained park employee, according to the County News Center. It was not part of the Safari Park's animal collection. County officials sent the bat to the County Public Health Laboratory on July 13, where testing confirmed rabies.

No direct human contact with the bat has been reported, according to the Safari Park and county health officials. But County Public Health Services is asking anyone who touched or handled the animal, or knows someone who did, to call 619-692-8499 right away.

Officials were clear about who's actually at risk. Only people who had direct physical contact with the bat, touching or holding it, need evaluation. Visitors who simply saw the bat from a distance are not at risk, the Safari Park told Fox News Digital.

A Serious Disease With No Cure Once Symptoms Start

Dr. Ankita Kadakia, the county's deputy public health officer, didn't soften the stakes. "Rabies is an extremely serious viral disease, one of the deadliest, with nearly 100% fatality if not caught early enough," Kadakia said in a statement carried by the County News Center, Patch, and the Times of San Diego. "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."

Post-exposure treatment works, and works well, if started before symptoms appear. Once the virus reaches that stage, it's a death sentence in nearly every case.

Rabies symptoms can take weeks or even months to show up after exposure, according to county officials, which is exactly why anyone with possible contact needs to get evaluated now rather than wait and see.

Not an Isolated Incident, But Still Rare for Humans

This is the 19th bat to test positive for rabies in San Diego County so far in 2026. For context, 21 bats tested positive for the entire year in 2025. The pace this year is roughly on track with last year's total, though county officials didn't offer an explanation for the trend in the statements provided.

Despite the number of infected bats, actual human rabies cases remain extremely rare. California's most recent confirmed human rabies case happened in 2024, involving a Fresno County resident who was exposed to a bat in Merced County, according to the County News Center.

Bats Serve a Purpose, Officials Say, But Don't Touch Them

Health and wildlife officials were careful to note that bats aren't the enemy here. San Diego County is home to more than 20 bat species, according to Dr. Alexis Wohl, wildlife veterinary manager at the San Diego Humane Society, who told Fox News Digital that bats eat up to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects per hour and provide real benefit to local farms and gardens.

Bats are also a legally protected species. It's illegal to kill, harm, or keep them, county officials noted. The message from every source here is consistent: appreciate bats from a distance, never handle one, and treat any physical contact as a medical event requiring immediate attention.

Dr. Brian Collins, a veterinarian with the Cornell Riney Canine Health Center, told Fox News Digital that bats are among the primary carriers of rabies in the United States and account for the majority of human rabies cases nationally.

County officials also reminded residents to keep pet vaccinations current. If a bat contacts a pet, or if anyone finds a scratch or bite mark, even one too small to easily see, they should wash the area with soap and seek medical advice immediately, according to guidance from County Public Health Services.

The county has not said how many people, if any, have called the hotline since the announcement, and no timeline has been given for when the investigation into potential contacts will close. Anyone who had contact with the bat and hasn't yet called 619-692-8499 remains the immediate open question in this case.