The Risks of Summer Wildlife

FAIRFAX, Va. (June 21, 2013) – When the weather warms up, many families take the opportunity to go camping. While being outdoors is a great way to spend a vacation, it’s important to understand what else lives in the woods.

Encountering wildlife can be as harmless as seeing a bat fly overhead or as frightening as hearing a bear near your campsite, but there are several diseases that campers and hikers should be aware of when spending time outside. Rabies is spread by direct contact with an infected animal, but other diseases such as Hantavirus can be spread by contact with droppings from infected rodents.

Not all animals pose a serious threat to humans, but the best practice is to respect their habitat and leave them alone.