17-05-2025
Bat tests positive for rabies at Great Plains Zoo
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A bat at the Great Plains Zoo (GPZ) tested positive for rabies.
In a press release, GPZ reported that one bat on its campus tested positive for the rabies virus.
The bat was found between the pollinator garden and the farm on May 9, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and was removed by animal care staff.
The species of the bat infected was not specified in the press release.
'No guests were known to have contact with the bat. Zoo animals, veterinary team members, and designated animal care staff are routinely vaccinated against rabies. There is no concern for the staff members who captured or handled the animals that were infected,' said GPZ veterinarian, Dr. Jenny Clementson.
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Rabies is a fatal viral disease, but it is preventable. It's contracted by exposure to a rabid animal, typically through a bite or scratch.
Saliva contact with broken skin or the mouth, nose, or eyes is another possible route of transmission.
'Animal rabies infections occur each year, with bats making up the majority of animals testing positive,' said Josh Clayton, State Epidemiologist. 'If exposed to an animal infected with rabies, prompt follow-up with your medical provider to start the four-dose treatment is critical to prevent human rabies.'
More information about rabies can be found on the Department of Health website.
If you believe you had contact with the bat, call the South Dakota Department of Health 1(800) 592-1861, along with your medical provider.
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