parks
White Sands National Park seeks visitor who handled dead bat
By Jocelyn Flores at KTSM 9 News (NBC)
· June 25, 2026
· 1 min read
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) -- White Sands National Park is seeking the public's help to contact a visitor who handled a dead bat with their bare hands and brought the animal into the park visitor center. After 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, a teenager entered the park's visitor center holding a bat and...
Key takeaway on Thursday, June 18, a teenager entered the park's visitor center holding a bat and placed [...
Why this matters in The El Paso
The incident at White Sands National Park raises concerns about public health and safety in the El Paso area. Handling a dead bat with bare hands poses a risk of rabies transmission, and the fact that the visitor brought the animal into the park's visitor center increases the potential for exposure to others. This incident highlights the need for education and awareness about wildlife handling and disease prevention in local communities. As a popular tourist destination, White Sands National Park attracts visitors from El Paso and surrounding areas, making it crucial for local health authorities to be vigilant about potential health risks. The park's efforts to locate the visitor and assess the risk of rabies transmission are a necessary step in protecting public health, and local residents should be aware of the precautions they can take to avoid similar risks when interacting with wildlife in the area.
About this story
Original reporting by KTSM 9 News (NBC) . The El Paso surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KTSM 9 News (NBC) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: parks ·
Published: June 25, 2026 ·
Source: KTSM 9 News (NBC) ·
Reading time: 1 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) -- White Sands National Park is seeking the public's help to contact a visitor who handled a dead bat with their bare hands and brought the animal into the park visitor center. After 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, a teenager entered the park's visitor center holding a bat and...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 25, 2026 by KTSM 9 News (NBC) and curated for The El Paso readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Jocelyn Flores at KTSM 9 News (NBC). To learn more about how The El Paso selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more parks coverage from The El Paso, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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