TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona Game and Fish officials say a fox suspected of having rabies has attacked three hikers at Saguaro National Park West since Wednesday.
Wildlife officials say the latest attack happened around 2 p.m. Thursday. All the attacks happened off the Hugh Norris Trail.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Luego del reporte de 3 ataques de zorro en 2 días, funcionarios de vida silvestre de Arizona y excursionistas se alarman
"I can't remember when we've had three wildlife attacks in the same area in the last 15 years," Mark Hart, a spokesman with Arizona Game and Fish said.
Mike Hartz and Lauren Fibich are about to get married.
They're also longtime hikers who came to trek up the trails at Saguaro National Park Thursday all the way from Buffalo.
They're taken aback by the fact that a likely rabid fox has attacked three people in less than 48 hours.
"It's shocking to me. We hike at least once a week, our summers, we're teachers, sometimes we go for a week, two weeks, three weeks, and all we do is hike," Fibich said. "We've been going to the national parks for quite a few years now and I don't think I've ever heard of nocturnal animals attacking during the day and that many happening at once."
Hart tells News 4 Tucson at least two hikers have minor injuries. One person had a scratch on the leg, the other suffered bruises from a fall.
Hart said the hikers fended off the fox using their trekking poles.
The National Park Service and Arizona Game and Fish said the suspected fox was euthanized by a NPS officer on Friday and its remains will be tested for rabies.
UP TO SPEED