Yosemite National Park is facing public anger after officials announced on Thursday that a bat found dead outside the popular Curry Village lodging area in May had tested positive for rabies. The delay in notification has drawn sharp criticism from park visitors and the public, who question the safety protocols and communication timelines.

Visitors expressed outrage online, with many pointing out the potential timeline for rabies infection. "Wouldn’t someone bitten or scratched 3 months ago already be rabid and possibly even dead?" one commenter asked on the National Park Service's Facebook post. Others echoed this concern, suggesting that any individual infected in May would likely have succumbed to the disease by now if untreated.

Rabies is a potentially fatal viral disease that is typically spread through the bite or scratch of an infected animal. According to the Cleveland Clinic, exposure can lead to infection within days or weeks, and without prompt treatment, rabies is almost always fatal. Initial symptoms can include fever, headache, weakness, and localized discomfort or itching at the bite site. Once symptoms appear, effective treatments are generally unavailable.

Park officials stated that no direct human contact with the bat is known. However, they are urging anyone who may have had contact with a bat in the Curry Village area around May 18 to consult the California Department of Public Health and a healthcare provider to determine if post-exposure prophylaxis is necessary.

In a typical park operation, deceased bats without known human contact are collected and tested to monitor for naturally occurring wildlife diseases. Park officials noted that a very small percentage of bats tested annually from Yosemite National Park are positive for rabies. The last confirmed rabies-positive bat in the park was discovered in July 2025. Bats, along with raccoons, foxes, and skunks, are known carriers of the rabies virus. Yosemite National Park is home to 17 species of bats, which provide ecological benefits.

The incident follows a case in 2024 where a California teacher died from rabies after an apparent bat bite in her classroom.