A 55-year old Seattle area woman is getting treated for rabies after being scratched by a bat in the Ozette campground late last week. Three Olympic National Park employees who responded to the incident are
also receiving treatment.

According to a park news release, the bat approached the visitor unnoticed while she was in her campsite around dusk. When she found the animal, she knocked it to the ground, receiving a scratch in the process.

The bat was stunned and remained on the ground in her campsite until the next morning when she reported the incident to park employees, the release said. The employees removed the bat and sent it to for testing. The rabies virus was found in the bat and preventative treatment began for all four people.

Here is the rest of the release:

“We’re very glad that this incident was reported to us and that the people involved are receiving treatment,” said park superintendent Karen Gustin. “Rabies exposure is extremely rare, but it does underscore our standard precaution –- to never approach or allow yourself to be approached by a wild animal.”

The only other known case of rabies in Olympic National Park was recorded 33 years ago in July 1975, when a child was bitten by a bat in the Elwha Valley.

The risk of acquiring rabies is extremely low, but the disease is fatal if not treated early after exposure, making it vitally important to treat any possible threat of exposure seriously.

Anyone observing unusual or aggressive behavior among park wildlife, including bats or other mammals that approach or appear fearless of humans, should inform a park ranger as soon as possible.

Here are links for more information about bats and rabies exposure:

Centers for Disease Control

National Park Service Public Health Program