Dark myth tied to horned ‘Frankenstein rabbits' spark fear across US state as public told to stay away
Rabbits with horn-like growths have taken the internet by storm in recent weeks, as some have compared them to a mythical creature known in popular Western folklore. Some have described the animals as "Frankenstein-", "zombie-" and "demon-rabbits".
The rabbits are suffering from a relatively harmless disease called
Shope Papilloma Virus
, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The disease is mainly found in America's Midwest, according to the University of Missouri, and is more noticeable in the summer, when the fleas and ticks that spread the virus are most active.
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Jackalope mythical creature tied to Zombie rabbits?
The virus likely influenced the centuries-old
jackalope myth
in North America, which told of a rabbit with antlers or horns, among other animal variations. The disease in rabbits also contributed to scientists' knowledge about the connection between viruses and cancer, such as the human papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer.
The virus in rabbits was named after Dr. Richard E Shope, a professor at The Rockefeller University who discovered the disease in cottontails in the 1930s.
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According to a report in The US Sun, many have pointed out that the sick animals look a lot like jackalopes. The combination was started by taxidermists in Douglas, Wyoming, during the 1930s.
Douglas Herrick, alongside his brother, Ralph, came back from hunting one day and threw a jackrabbit body on the ground next to deer horns. The brothers put the two things together and there, a jackalope was born.
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Legends about the jackalope have taken many forms—some describe them as 'killer rabbits,' while others claim the creatures can flawlessly mimic a human voice, even echoing the cowboy songs once sung around campfires.
According to the Douglas, Wyoming, tourism website, these mythical animals are also said to have a peculiar taste for whiskey.
Douglas, the town where the jackalope legend was born, has fully embraced the creature, turning it into a symbol of local culture. Statues of jackalopes can be found throughout the town, a towering 13-foot cutout greets visitors on a nearby hillside, and the animal proudly appears on the city's official logo.
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What is SPV virus?
A viral disease causing wart-like tumors on rabbits, mainly on their heads, ears, and eyelids is linked to Shope Papilloma Virus. The illness causes wart-like tumors on the little animals, and is spread by biting insects. According to Van Hoose, the infected animals are most common in the summer months when insects (such as fleas and ticks) are more prevalent. Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, told The Associated Press that the agency has recently received an influx of calls about the infected rabbits.
While people should stay away from the wild rabbits, the virus can only be transferred from rabbit to rabbit, not rabbit to human or other pets. Despite that, Van Hoose has warned people not to touch or go near the rabbits, or any other wild animal.
'That's what we tell everyone with wildlife,' she explained to Time. 'It's just practicing those really smart wildlife principles of keeping your distance, not feeding them, and not trying to step in and help, because there's nothing we can really do.'
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