NewsCentral & Southern Arizona NewsTucson News

Actions

Saguaro National Park East says dead foxes, bobcat attack could be rabies

Saguaro National Park
Posted at 11:58 AM, Jan 23, 2024
and last updated 2024-01-23 14:07:29-05

Saguaro National Park East is urging visitors to stay vigilant, following a string of suspected rabies cases on park grounds.

In addition to a bobcat attack on Sunday, where the 66-year-old victim was bitten and scratched, park staff recently discovered several dead foxes and have received reports of unusual behavior in foxes and raccoons, according to a news release issued by the park.

No carcasses of suspected animals have been recovered for testing to determine the cause of the illnesses, the news release said.

The park advises that visitors should never pick up or handle wild animals and should observe them at a safe distance. Visitors with pets should make sure their animals have all of their rabies vaccinations up to date.

Any pet or human visitor to the park that has physical contact with animals at the park should notify park staff and seek medical attention, the news release said.