Authorities are warning visitors at a Staten Island nature preserve to stay alert after a fox suspected of potentially carrying rabies was reported in the area.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued a safety advisory for Mount Loretto Unique Area, a 241-acre preserve on Staten Island’s South Shore, following a report that a visitor was bitten by a fox on Friday.
“DEC is warning all visitors to be vigilant due to the presence of a fox that may be infected with rabies,” the agency said in a statement released Saturday.
Officials are urging anyone visiting the preserve to use caution, keep a safe distance from wildlife and avoid any contact with animals as environmental authorities continue monitoring the site for the possibly rabid fox.
The safety advisory at Mount Loretto Unique Area will remain in place through at least Monday, according to officials.
The incident comes amid growing concern over rabies activity in New York City’s outer boroughs. Recent city data shows rabid raccoons have helped drive 20 confirmed rabies cases across Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island so far this year — a rate running 57% ahead of last year’s pace.
By late August, New York City had logged five rabies cases in Brooklyn, six in Queens and nine in Staten Island, with Staten Island alone already matching its total for all of 2025.
Since 2022, Staten Island has recorded 26 confirmed rabies cases, the second-highest borough total in the city. Queens leads with 39 cases, according to data from the NYC Health Department.
Rabies is a deadly disease typically transmitted when an infected animal bites a human and is most commonly seen among animals such as raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes, according to experts.
Luckily, the rabies vaccine is very effective and can be administered shortly after exposure. It helps the body kill the virus before it reaches the brain.
After an initial dose of human rabies immune globulin, treatment consists of four doses of the rabies vaccine administered over two weeks.
If an individual is left untreated and begins exhibiting rabies symptoms, the disease almost always results in death.
People should report any sightings of foxes exhibiting unusual behavior in the area to NYSDEC Dispatch at 1-844-DEC-ECOS (1-844-332-3267).
