What health risks do animals pose?
Wild animals can carry several diseases that humans can contract, either through direct contact or contact of droppings. The most famous is rabies, but others include Rat Bite Fever, Murine Typhus, histoplasmosis, roundworm, Salmonellosis (bacterial food poisoning), Leptospirosis (Weils Disease), Trichinosis, Rickettsial Disease, Melioidosid, Pasteurellosis, and Brucellosis, possibly among others. Overall, I think risk of contracting these diseases from wildlife is rare, but I’ve heard of colleagues who have gotten seriously ill, and I always take precautions.
