HikeArizona.COM

Arizona man attacked by bobcat
Dec. 25, 2009 02:02 PM - Associated Press

TUCSON - A bobcat that attacked a man Wednesday night remains on the loose in the southern Arizona community of Oracle.
Officials say the man was walking in his neighborhood about two miles west of Oracle State Park when he heard a hissing sound before the attack.

Arizona Game and Fish spokesman Mark Hart said the bobcat bit the man on the thigh. Game and Fish officers have been searching the area for the bobcat, concerned that it could be sick. They describe its behavior as "uncharacteristic" and suspect the animal may have rabies.

About 250 animals have tested positive for rabies in Arizona this year, a third were found in Pima County. Most involved a gray fox, bat or skunk. Six cases involved bobcats.
:stretch:

TUCSON - Authorities say a bobcat believed to have bitten an Oracle man last week has tested positive for rabies.

Arizona Game and Fish Department say the bobcat was found dead on Christmas Day in the backyard of a home in Oracle and recovered for testing. The unidentified man was bitten on the thigh by a bobcat on Dec. 23 and suffered minor injuries, but began treatment for rabies the next day.

Game and Fish officials say the dead bobcat underwent a necropsy at the Arizona Department of Health services facility in Phoenix. Officials say there have been 248 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in Arizona this year, most involving gray foxes, bats and skunks. Seven cases involved bobcats.

Two words - "Habitat encroachment."

Yeah, ok, but what does habitat encroachment have to do with rabies? Inquiring minds want to know...

Someone not prepared to encounter a big cat would like not have, as it were, were that individual not a contributor to urban sprawl; or so I suspect it goes in these cases...

Wild animals are more likely to have rabies if they interact with the vermin (mice, rats, possums, etc) that live in our urban wastelands.

nonot wrote:Wild animals are more likely to have rabies if they interact with the vermin (mice, rats, possums, etc) that live in our urban wastelands.

That may be the case, I have no idea. I was just commenting on what seems to be a trend. Every time developers build closer and closer to habitat, a string of "sightings" and reports of "nuisance" wildlife materialize into the local nightly newscast...

Yeah, people are morons. I was replying to Elizabeth's post.

A lesson my Dad taught me, if you can get close to a wild animal, you should suspect that it is sick. We had an incident with a skunk years ago that bore this out.

Well, anyway, it's interesting.

I had a skunk walk on my sleeping bag one time in the Chiricahuas. It was at an at-large camping spot near Onion Saddle, and I suspect the skunk was used to people leaving food scraps around. I didn't think of rabies at the time, and luckily it was probably just a healthy skunk that was a camp robber.

http://hikearizona.com/phoZOOM.php?ZIP=112167
I would have done this skunk a favor were I carrying at the time. Skunk hanging out in broad daylight, and not very concerned with 2 people and 2 large-ish dogs.

It's hard to tell with skunks. They're often pretty casual around people and even around dogs. They can have a lot of confidence in their defense, and rightfully so. A skunk lived under my front steps for ages and never showed any fear of me. I sometimes opened the door when it was just a few feet away, and it just nonchalantly ambled off. It seems to be gone now, probably deceased.

The poor guy that's photo I linked was out in broad daylight and staggering. Pretty sad especially considering that it probably died soon thereafter, and was scavenged by God-knows-what.

Staggering is bad. I fended off a staggering raccoon from my back door with a broom, which I threw away afterward.

January 8....

TUCSON - The Arizona Game and Fish Department said a javelina that bit a Marana man New Year's Day has tested positive for rabies.

Authorities said Thursday the 66-year-man was hiking on the Dove Mountain path Jan. 1 when he was bitten on the right arm and right leg by the javelina.

Arizona Game and Fish Department spokesman Mark Hart said the man was transported to Oro Valley-Northwest Hospital, where he has started rabies treatment.

The javelina was shot and killed by an officer with the Marana Police Department.

Ok, well, that's a new one on me. A rabid javelina?