Bobcat with rabies causes alarm in Arizona campground

A second incident of a potentially rabid bobcat in Arizona in less than a year has turned up. Last August, a man was attacked in Saguaro National Park by a bobcat suspected of carrying the deadly disease. This time it was farther north, where a bobcat at a campground in Gila County tested positive for rabies. Bobcat rabies is rare, but definitely something you don’t want to share.

Bobcat rabies in Timber Campground

Timber Camp Recreation Area is a popular family campground in the Tonto National Forest, about 20 miles north of Globe, Arizona. While county health officials aren’t providing a lot of details, they have verified that a bobcat near the Timber Campground has tested positive for the rabies virus.

Officials have put out a call asking that anyone in the area that may have come into contact with this animal should contact Gila County Animal Care & Control immediately at 928-425-5882. Animal control officials have beefed up surveillance in the area to monitor for any additional rabies cases or abnormal animal behavior.

Bobcats with disease extremely rare

Bobcats infected with rabies are a rarity. While foxes, bats, and raccoons are frequent hosts, bobcats, coyotes, javelinas, otter, deer, weasels, and mongoose made up 1.2% of confirmed rabies cases in 2019.

While you can’t tell by looking at an animal that it has rabies, there are some signs that indicate you best stay away. If they’re acting abnormally, it’s a tip-off. Here’s how officials define “abnormal behavior”:

• Biting at imaginary objects
• Excessive drool or saliva
• General sickness
• Overly aggressive behavior
• Problems swallowing
• Trouble moving or paralysis

Humans can be infected by a rabid animal through a bite, scratch or any incident where the animal can infect an open wound, eye, mouth, or nose. Rabies can be effectively treated, though, through a combination of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) and rabies vaccine over two or so weeks.

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