A 5-year-old grizzly bear found dead in Grand Teton National Park
The five-year-old Grizzly Bear, known as Grizzly 1058, the son of the world-famous Grizzly 399, is found dead in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
No Brands – News Value
Hundreds of people may have been exposed to rabies after a bat colony was suspected inside a lodge at Grand Teton National Park for months.
The Bat Colony was found in a cabin at Jackson Lake Lodge, a popular eco hotel in Grand Teton National Park, and in the historic landmark Jackson Lake Lodge cabin. According to the National Park Service. The agency issued notifications to those who were guests at the lodge from May 5th to July 27th.
Since June 2, the National Park Service said Grand Teton Lodge Company (the concessionaire that operates Jackson Lake Lodge) has received eight reports, including overnight guests who may have been exposed to bats in the room. Further investigation revealed that the colonies were nesting in the attic above these eight guest rooms.
Rooms were closed as a precaution while public health officials investigated, mitigation recommendations were investigated and provided, according to the National Park Service. The agency noted there was no immediate threat to the public.
“The Wyoming Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are leading efforts to coordinate with local public health officials of affected guests conducting rabies risk assessments,” the agency added.
According to the National Park Service, state health officials are reaching out to guests to assess risk for rabies and will determine whether they meet the criteria for preventive care. According to the agency, those who meet risk criteria will contact “the appropriate provider in their hometown for preventive treatment.”
Guests are urged to contact Grand Teton Lodge Company to see if they are staying in one of the rooms where the bat may have been found, the National Park Service said.
Report: Affected guests visited from 38 states and 7 countries
State and local public health officials told Wyoming Public Radio they are tracking people from 38 states and seven countries who may have been exposed to rabies. Health officials also contacted hotel employees, but noted that workers were considered less risky compared to guests staying in the room, according to the radio network.
State health officials are aware of approximately 250 bookings for rooms affected between May and July, with estimates that up to 500 people staying in the cabin, according to the Associated Press.
“A lot of people were exposed in this incident, and one of the people who are positive about it is that 100% of those people know who they are,” Travis Liddell, director of the Teton County Public Health Department, told Wyoming Public Radio. “People in the community generally don’t need to worry about this particular incident.”
Several dead bats were found, which are likely to be small in the colony sample size and were sent to the Wyoming Veterinary Institute for testing, the AP reported. As of August 15, state health officials said the bats found in the affected rooms had not tested positive for rabies.
The Wyoming Department of Health and the Wyoming Veterinary Institute did not immediately respond to a request for comment on USA Today on August 17.
Bats in Teton County, Wyoming
The National Park Service said bats are “an important part of maintaining ecosystem health” in Grand Teton National Park. According to the agency, bats help to control natural pests by eating insects such as mosquitoes every night (such as mosquitoes).
The most common bat species found in Grand Teton National Park are small brown bats, followed by large brown, silver hair, white, huma, long ears, and long ear bats. Other bats have also been found in the park, including California Myotis and small bats in the western region.
The National Park Service noted that less than 1% of bats suffer from rabies and advises park visitors to follow guidelines to avoid exposure to rabies.
- Observe wildlife from a safe distance. Do not touch or pet wild animals.
- Warn park officials about the unusual behavior of animals.
- If someone is attacked, bitten or injured by a wild or domestic animal, contact your local health department or park ranger.
- Immediately chew or wash the wound with warm water and soap for 15 minutes.
The bat colony found at Jackson Lake Lodge is Teton County’s first mass rabies exposure event since 2017, according to Wyoming Public Radio and Jackson Hole’s News and Guide. At the time, 13 people were preemptively treated after a bat colony was discovered at AMK Ranch, a research facility in Grand Teton National Park, reported by a media outlet.
“Before 2017, rabies in Teton County was virtually unprecedented, but since then, bat rabies have been confirmed almost every year,” according to the Teton County Department of Public Health.
Bat exposure to rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that can spread to people and pets through bites and wounds in infected animals, according to the National Park Service and the CDC. In Wyoming, the National Park Service said rabies is most common in bats and skunks.
Rabies is fatal, but the CDC says it is a preventable disease, advises people to receive pre-exposure vaccinations in order to seek medical care immediately if exposed. According to the National Park Service, the disease primarily affects the central nervous system and causes severe brain disease and death if you are not receiving medical care before the onset of symptoms.
It could take weeks to months for rabies symptoms to appear after the initial exposure, the agency said. The National Park Service added that bats are a “special concern” over rabies exposure due to the small size of wounds and bites.
“Rabies in animals are rare, but exposure to animals, including bats, is treated very seriously due to fatal consequences, especially when the animal goes crazy,” according to the agency.
