Warning Issued Over Potential Rabid Fox in Staten Island
There’s a fox potentially infected with rabies roaming free in a nature preserve on Staten Island, prompting officials to advise caution among visitors.
The Mount Loretto Unique Area, a 241-acre nature preserve located on Staten Island’s south shore, has issued a safety alert after a visitor was bitten by a fox on Friday, according to a statement from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
“DEC is warning all visitors to be vigilant due to the presence of a fox that may be infected with rabies,” the department stated on Saturday.
Authorities are urging those enjoying the nature preserve to be careful and to avoid any contact with wildlife, as they actively monitor the area for the potentially rabid fox.
This advisory will remain in place at least until Monday, officials confirmed.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of concerning statistics, with reports indicating that rabid raccoons have invaded the city’s outer boroughs. In fact, a total of 20 rabies cases have already been documented this year across Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, which marks a 57% increase compared to the previous year.
By late August, Brooklyn had five cases, Queens had six, and Staten Island had recorded nine cases—matching the total number for all of 2025.
Since 2022, Staten Island has reported 26 confirmed rabies cases, the second-highest in the city after Queens, which has had 39, according to data from the NYC Health Department.
Rabies is a serious disease typically spread through bites from infected animals and is most often found in raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes, as noted by health experts.
Fortunately, there is an effective rabies vaccine that can be administered soon after exposure, allowing the body to combat the virus before it can reach the brain. Treatment involves an initial dose of human rabies immune globulin followed by four doses of the rabies vaccine over a two-week period.
Without treatment, individuals showing symptoms of rabies almost always face fatal outcomes.
People in the area are encouraged to report any sightings of foxes displaying abnormal behavior to NYSDEC Dispatch at 1-844-DEC-ECOS (1-844-332-3267).
