Bobcat that attacked sleeping camper in Connecticut tests positive for rabies

A bobcat that attacked a camper sleeping in a hammock at a Connecticut state park last week has tested positive for rabies, officials said.

The man was among several other adults who were leading a group of youth campers on Selden Neck Island, located in the Connecticut River at Selden Neck State Park in Lyme, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said in a news release emailed to Fox News Digital.

The bobcat attacked the sleeping man early Friday morning. The man and two other adults were able to subdue the animal and kill it, the department said.

The bobcat was transported to the State Public Health laboratory, where it tested positive for rabies.

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All three men were taken to a hospital with injuries inflicted by the cat. None of the children on the outing had come into contact with the animal, authorities said.

The Deep River Fire Department and DEEP Environmental Conservation Police transported all the campers off the island following the attack.

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Bobcat attacks on humans are rare, according to DEEP.

“When unprovoked attacks do occur, they are generally disease or illness related. While rabies is not as common in bobcats as some other mammal species, they can contract the virus.”

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Wildlife officials urged visitors to treat all animals with respect and to enjoy them from a distance.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.