California reports record number of rabid wildlife detections in 2025
State officials say a 28-year high in rabies cases among wildlife has been recorded, while the cause of the increase remains uncertain.
California health officials have confirmed that 368 rabid animals have been detected this year, the highest count since 1998. Most of the cases involve bats and skunks, and the two recent raccoons found in Westlake Village tested positive for the bat variant of the virus.
"Raccoons don’t have too much of a fear of humans, or at least living in human habitats," CDC veterinary epidemiologist Dr. Ryan Wallace said. "When you have a rabies virus shift into a new species, especially one that has such close ecological relationship with humans, you can see drastic increases in human exposures."
The surge in wildlife detections coincides with a 76% rise in post-exposure treatments reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, and a 33% increase in rabies vaccine administrations compared with the previous year. However, CDC researchers caution that the data do not yet reveal whether the trend is national or region-specific, or which animal species are driving it.
"The specific reason for the increase is not yet known, but rabies detections in wildlife can vary from year to year and by season," Beth Deines, spokesperson for the California Department of Public Health, said in an emailed statement.
Experts note that testing practices may also influence the numbers. Shannon Bennett, chief science officer at the California Academy of Sciences, said the increase could reflect more public submissions of sick animals rather than a true rise in prevalence. She added that urban expansion and warmer temperatures could facilitate virus replication.
"There’s no question that a warming climate makes viruses and other microbes really happy," Bennett said.
While the state has not recorded a human rabies death since 2024, officials continue to urge the public to avoid handling dead wildlife, keep pets vaccinated, and seek medical advice after any possible bat exposure.
The CDC, which has faced staffing cuts since the start of the Trump administration, acknowledges delays in national data reporting, with the latest surveillance report covering 2024 and the 2025 report still pending. Dr. Ryan Wallace said the agency’s analytical tools remain valuable but are currently hampered by outdated data flows.