Rabid wild bat found at Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Dozens of people who spent the night at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha during a series of camps last weekend are to undergo a series of rabies vaccines after potential exposure in recent nightly events.

“On Sunday July 4, a guest reported to the camp official that she woke up and noticed a wild bat near her head,” the zoo’s Friday statement read.

No scratches or bite marks were found on the female, but zoo workers rounded up seven wild bats inside the Scott Aquarium, where a series of overnight encampments took place during the weekend.

The bats have been sent for rabies testing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Veterinary Diagnostic Center, and the Douglas County Department of Health has been notified of the potential exposure.

The zoo discovered on Wednesday evening that one of the bats had tested positive for rabies, the statement said.

As a result, the 186 overnight guests and some zoo employees who were in attendance for the nightly events of June 29-30 and July 2-3 received a letter advising them of their potential rabies exposure and recommending, based of CDC guidelines, that they receive rabies vaccines.

“The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha is offering these guests reimbursements for their event and provides information on how to receive post-exposure prophylaxis at the zoo’s expense,” the statement said.

Zoo teams have also spent the last few days looking for breach or access points and any evidence of long-term rest of the bats.

Dr Sarah Woodhouse, director of animal health at the zoo, said the bats were likely “little brown bats,” a species common in Nebraska.

“To be clear, this was a wild bat that made its way into the aquarium, not a bat from the zoo’s collection,” the zoo statement read.

The zoo plans to continue its overnight encampments at other zoo facilities until it is certain that the bats have been removed, the access point has been repaired, and there has been “A full week of nocturnal observations without bats present”.

Henry Doorly officials said those who visited the zoo during normal business hours need not worry about potential exposure, but noted that rabies infections are common in bald people. – wild mice.

“We want to assure our guests who have visited the Aquarium during the day that there is no need to worry about the rabid bat. Bats are nocturnal, so are not active – or awake – during normal zoo hours, ”Dr. Woodhouse said in the statement.

Facts about bats

Copyright 2021 WOWT. All rights reserved.