Yosemite, CA—Yosemite National Park is warning the public after a bat tested positive for rabies.
Park officials disclosed that a big brown bat was found dead outside the Curry Village Showerhouse on May 18, 2026. While they noted no reports of human contact with this bat, they advise that anyone who may have had direct contact with it around that time should contact the California Department of Health (CDPH) and a healthcare provider promptly to determine whether treatment is needed.
Park officials noted, “As part of routine park operations, deceased bats with no known human contact are collected and later tested to monitor wildlife disease that circulates naturally within bat populations. A very small percentage of bats tested from Yosemite National Park are positive for rabies each year.”
The last rabies-positive bat discovered in the park was in July 2025. Rabies can spread to humans by a bite or scratch from an infected animal. Park officials warn that bat bites and scrapes can be tiny and difficult to see and typically are not painful. They advised, “Direct contact with a bat can also occur while wearing clothing or when a wing brushes against the skin or hair. Any direct contact with a bat, alive or dead, should be discussed with a healthcare provider.”
Yosemite is home to 17 species of bats that provide ecological and economic benefits. Additionally, park officials relayed, “Visitors should never touch or handle bats or other wild animals. If you encounter a bat, dead or alive, keep your distance and notify park staff.”
For more information on rabies and bat and visitor safety, click here.
