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Species reference · United States

Wildlife Rabies Lookup

What is generally known about rabies in this animal? Compare reported occurrence with reservoir status, then open the source or detailed guide. This lookup does not diagnose an animal or decide treatment.

Rabies patterns vary by state and region. National species information does not replace local public-health guidance. An animal that can become infected is not necessarily a maintenance reservoir.

Choose a species or common animal group. Selection stays on this page; no contact details are requested.

Select an animal to view U.S. rabies information.

Bat

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Commonly reported in surveillance
U.S. reservoir status
Major U.S. reservoir

What the evidence shows about bat

The 2024 national report identifies bats among the most frequently reported rabid wildlife. CDC notes bat rabies occurs across the continental states; local context still matters.

Bats are important U.S. reservoir hosts across multiple species.

Direct bat contact can be difficult to assess; report uncertain contact to a healthcare or public-health professional.

Read the detailed bat guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

Raccoon

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Commonly reported in surveillance
U.S. reservoir status
Regional reservoir

What the evidence shows about raccoon

Raccoons feature prominently in 2024 national surveillance. A regional host pattern is not a statement that every raccoon is infected.

Raccoon-associated rabies is an important regional reservoir pattern, especially in the eastern U.S.

Read the detailed raccoon guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

Skunk

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Commonly reported in surveillance
U.S. reservoir status
Regional reservoir

What the evidence shows about skunk

CDC identifies skunks among the main U.S. wildlife hosts. Minnesota describes skunks and bats as local reservoirs, illustrating why national labels cannot substitute for regional guidance.

Skunk-associated virus variants maintain regional U.S. reservoir patterns.

Read the detailed skunk guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Rabies in the United States: Protecting Public Health

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-09-30; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Reservoir hosts and regional variant map; no undated percentage copied into this tool.
  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Minnesota Department of Health — Rabies: Annual Summary of Reportable Diseases

    Minnesota; 2024 highlights and cumulative 2003–2024

    Published: 2026-05-06 · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Cumulative other-species results include deer; this is not a deer-specific national frequency estimate.
Fox

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Regularly reported
U.S. reservoir status
Regional reservoir

What the evidence shows about fox

CDC identifies foxes as important wildlife hosts. Fox species and locations differ; the label does not imply an identical reservoir pattern throughout the country.

Some fox species and regions have fox-associated rabies variants.

Read the detailed fox guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Rabies in the United States: Protecting Public Health

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-09-30; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Reservoir hosts and regional variant map; no undated percentage copied into this tool.
  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • USDA APHIS — Oral Rabies Vaccination

    United States; includes Texas program history

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Last modified 2025-11-17.
    • Canine rabies in coyotes and gray-fox variant program history; not proof every coyote population maintains rabies today.
Opossum (possum)

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Uncommonly reported
U.S. reservoir status
Not a principal U.S. reservoir

What the evidence shows about opossum

Virginia’s 2024 positives report documents infection in opossums. Uncommon reporting does not establish immunity or settle an individual contact assessment.

Opossums are not among the principal U.S. reservoir hosts identified in CDC’s summary.

“Possum” here refers to the North American opossum; no separate possum page or risk classification is created.

Read the detailed opossum guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Rabies in the United States: Protecting Public Health

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-09-30; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Reservoir hosts and regional variant map; no undated percentage copied into this tool.
  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Virginia Department of Health — 2024 Rabies Yearly Positives

    Virginia, 2024

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Positive opossums documented; positives-only report gives no tested denominator. This tool displays no counts or percentages.
  • Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife — Opossums

    Washington wildlife profile with general opossum context

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Supports uncommon reporting and the U.S. possum name. The page’s Washington-specific absence statement is not generalized nationwide. No proven temperature-immunity mechanism is asserted.
Squirrel

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Rarely reported
U.S. reservoir status
Not a principal U.S. reservoir

What the evidence shows about squirrel

The 2011–2020 study documented occasional eastern gray squirrel cases. It does not establish current frequency for every squirrel species.

Small squirrels are not principal U.S. rabies maintenance hosts.

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Rabies in the United States: Protecting Public Health

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-09-30; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Reservoir hosts and regional variant map; no undated percentage copied into this tool.
  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Hareza et al.; Journal of Wildlife Diseases; CDC-hosted manuscript — Rabies in rodents and lagomorphs in the USA, 2011–20

    United States and Puerto Rico, 2011–2020

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Results and Table 1 distinguish groundhogs, eastern gray squirrels, eastern cottontails, rats and house mice. Historical study period, not a current census.
Mouse

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
No regular signal in the cited study period
U.S. reservoir status
Not a principal U.S. reservoir

What the evidence shows about mouse

No rabid house mice were identified in the 2011–2020 study. That period-specific finding does not prove that infection is impossible.

House mice are not identified as U.S. maintenance reservoirs in the cited evidence.

Read the detailed rat and mouse guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Hareza et al.; Journal of Wildlife Diseases; CDC-hosted manuscript — Rabies in rodents and lagomorphs in the USA, 2011–20

    United States and Puerto Rico, 2011–2020

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Results and Table 1 distinguish groundhogs, eastern gray squirrels, eastern cottontails, rats and house mice. Historical study period, not a current census.
Rat

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
No regular signal in the cited study period
U.S. reservoir status
Not a principal U.S. reservoir

What the evidence shows about rat

The 2011–2020 study found no rabid rats in its submitted records. This is a surveillance observation, not a personal treatment decision.

Rats are not identified as U.S. maintenance reservoirs in the cited evidence.

Read the detailed rat and mouse guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Hareza et al.; Journal of Wildlife Diseases; CDC-hosted manuscript — Rabies in rodents and lagomorphs in the USA, 2011–20

    United States and Puerto Rico, 2011–2020

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Results and Table 1 distinguish groundhogs, eastern gray squirrels, eastern cottontails, rats and house mice. Historical study period, not a current census.
Rabbit

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Rarely reported
U.S. reservoir status
Not a principal U.S. reservoir

What the evidence shows about rabbit

Eastern cottontail cases were documented in the 2011–2020 study, despite infrequent reporting overall. Rabbit evidence should not be replaced by a mouse or rat summary.

Rabbits are lagomorphs, distinct from rodents, and are not principal U.S. reservoir hosts.

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Hareza et al.; Journal of Wildlife Diseases; CDC-hosted manuscript — Rabies in rodents and lagomorphs in the USA, 2011–20

    United States and Puerto Rico, 2011–2020

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Results and Table 1 distinguish groundhogs, eastern gray squirrels, eastern cottontails, rats and house mice. Historical study period, not a current census.
Groundhog

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Documented infection
U.S. reservoir status
Not a principal U.S. reservoir

What the evidence shows about groundhog

Groundhogs accounted for most rodent and lagomorph cases in the 2011–2020 study. They should not be grouped with the smaller rodents in that dataset.

Groundhog cases often reflect spillover associated with raccoon rabies, rather than a separate principal reservoir.

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Hareza et al.; Journal of Wildlife Diseases; CDC-hosted manuscript — Rabies in rodents and lagomorphs in the USA, 2011–20

    United States and Puerto Rico, 2011–2020

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Results and Table 1 distinguish groundhogs, eastern gray squirrels, eastern cottontails, rats and house mice. Historical study period, not a current census.
Deer

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Documented infection
U.S. reservoir status
Not a principal U.S. reservoir

What the evidence shows about deer

Minnesota’s cumulative 2003–2024 surveillance summary includes a deer infection. That establishes documented occurrence, not a current national frequency estimate.

Deer are not listed among CDC’s principal U.S. reservoir hosts.

Read the detailed deer guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Rabies in the United States: Protecting Public Health

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-09-30; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Reservoir hosts and regional variant map; no undated percentage copied into this tool.
  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Minnesota Department of Health — Rabies: Annual Summary of Reportable Diseases

    Minnesota; 2024 highlights and cumulative 2003–2024

    Published: 2026-05-06 · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Cumulative other-species results include deer; this is not a deer-specific national frequency estimate.
Coyote

U.S. species information · Wildlife

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Documented infection
U.S. reservoir status
Regional / historical context matters

What the evidence shows about coyote

USDA describes Texas vaccination efforts targeting canine rabies in coyotes. This history does not make coyotes equivalent to foxes or establish the same current pattern everywhere.

Coyote reservoir history and local virus variants require geographic context.

Read the detailed coyote guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • USDA APHIS — Oral Rabies Vaccination

    United States; includes Texas program history

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Last modified 2025-11-17.
    • Canine rabies in coyotes and gray-fox variant program history; not proof every coyote population maintains rabies today.
Dog

U.S. species information · Domestic animal

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Documented infection
U.S. reservoir status
Domestic species

What the evidence shows about dog

Rabies can occur in dogs. Current CDC guidance emphasizes veterinary care and local vaccination rules; vaccination history is relevant but does not independently settle an exposure assessment.

Domestic species; the U.S. wildlife-reservoir classification does not describe an individual dog.

Read the detailed dog guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Minnesota Department of Health — Rabies: Annual Summary of Reportable Diseases

    Minnesota; 2024 highlights and cumulative 2003–2024

    Published: 2026-05-06 · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Cumulative other-species results include deer; this is not a deer-specific national frequency estimate.
Cat

U.S. species information · Domestic animal

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Regularly reported
U.S. reservoir status
Domestic species

What the evidence shows about cat

Cats were the most commonly reported rabid domestic animals in the 2024 national report. That finding is not a probability of infection in a particular cat.

Domestic species, rather than one of the principal U.S. wildlife reservoir hosts.

Read the detailed cat guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

Ferret

U.S. species information · Domestic animal

Sources checked · CURRENT. Source verification is separate from medical review.

Rabies occurrence in U.S. surveillance
Documented infection
U.S. reservoir status
Domestic species

What the evidence shows about ferret

Historical U.S. national surveillance documented rabid ferrets. Current CDC pet guidance confirms susceptibility; the historical account is not used as a current frequency estimate.

Domestic species; pet ferrets are handled separately from wild reservoir hosts in CDC guidance.

Read the detailed ferret guide →

For contact information and professional guidance, go to “Concerned about an exposure?”.

Authoritative sources for this result

  • CDC — Clinical Overview of Rabies

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-15; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • General transmission and professional assessment only; no treatment-decision algorithm imported.
  • CDC — Information for Veterinarians

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-07-16; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Used for general veterinary referral and domestic species context; no schedules or confinement rules reproduced.
  • Rupprecht et al.; Public Health Reports; CDC-hosted archive — Rabies Prevention

    United States; historical account published September/October 1996

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Historical national reports establish documented ferret infection. Not used for a current count, prevalence, treatment rule or current frequency estimate.
  • CDC Healthy Pets, Healthy People — Ferrets

    United States

    Published: Not specified · Checked:

    Source context and limitations
    • Page dated 2025-01-30; the original publication date is not independently established.
    • Current pet-ferret susceptibility and veterinary context; no clinical pet regimen copied.

Concerned about an exposure?

Species information cannot determine the medical response to a particular contact. Bites and scratches involving infectious saliva can matter in rabies assessment. Saliva reaching broken skin or the eyes, nose or mouth can also matter.

Possible rabies exposure should be assessed promptly by a healthcare professional or local/state public-health authority. The actual contact, animal history and local epidemiology matter.

If a pet had contact with wildlife, contact a veterinarian and follow local public-health or animal-control guidance.

Organize details for professional assessmentRead rabies first-aid guidanceUnderstand professionally directed PEPRead emergency guidance

This wording is shared across every selection. It does not change into a personal medical outcome.

How to read this lookup

Occurrence labels describe the cited surveillance, not the probability that an animal or person is infected. Historical study periods and state reports are identified in each source. Submissions for testing are not a random sample of wildlife. No prevalence percentages or individual risk estimates are calculated.

Source checks are dated separately from review. CURRENT means checked within 180 days, RECHECK means 181–365 days and STALE means older than 365 days. Summaries with stale, withheld or invalid source checks are withheld until rechecked; older source links stay available. A recent check does not turn an older study into current surveillance.

Source-data check: . Medical/public-health approval has not been recorded for this tool. Veterinary treatment and jurisdiction-specific rules are outside its scope.

Read the broader animal rabies overview · See the sourced U.S. reservoir map

Frequently asked questions

Is infection the same as being a rabies reservoir?

No. A mammal may become infected without being an important maintenance host. Reservoir labels here describe population patterns and geographic context, not an individual exposure outcome.

Are opossums immune to rabies?

Uncommon reporting is not immunity. Documented opossum infections are included in the cited Virginia surveillance report.

Why are groundhogs separate from mice and rats?

The cited U.S. study found a different reporting pattern in groundhogs. Combining all rodents into one label would lose that distinction.

Does the animal alone determine the PEP decision?

No. A healthcare or public-health professional assesses the full circumstances. This lookup has no treatment recommendation or dose schedule and does not assess an individual contact.

Editorial creation: . This is not a medical-review date.

Written by Faisal MumtazWritten from current CDC and WHO rabies guidance

Report an error or source correction