KGUN 9NewsLocal News

Actions

Hiker nearly bitten by fox at Saguaro National Park East

Posted at 4:19 PM, Apr 05, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-06 01:30:02-04

A hiker was bitten by a pant leg by a gray fox while hiking a little more than a mile up the Miller Creek Trail at Saguaro National Park East on Wednesday afternoon.

The hiker was evaluated for possible exposure to rabies, but the fox bite did not break the skin.

This is the second incident of this kind to happen at the park this year. According to a press release from Saguaro National Park, there have been 51 confirmed cases of rabies in Arizona this year, 34 in southeast Arizona. They say foxes, skunks, and bats are the most common carriers of rabies.

This comes after Arizona Game & Fish confirmed the gray fox that bit a 9-year-old boy in the Chiricahuas in late March tested positive for rabies.

“Avoid contact with and don’t approach wildlife that is behaving abnormally or appears to be ill. If you believe that you see a rabid animal, call us at 1-623-236-7201,” said Regional Supervisor Raul Vega of Game and Fish in Tucson in a media release. “In addition, avoid touching any dead wildlife that you may find, and keep your pets away from them as well.”