Rabbits with 'tentacles'?! The natural phenomena, explained
Let's explain the whole thing. Per The Coloradoan: "Cottontail rabbits with horn-like growths on their heads have appeared in Fort Collins in recent weeks, causing concern of the health risk to the rabbits and humans."
The disease is known as rabbit papillomas, which is a virus of the skin that causes the growths. It's not a problem for pets or humans, but it's a good idea not to touch the animals. That's per officials at Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
This is what it looks like:
So there you have it. If you see those photos going extremely viral, you know what it comes from.
Is that why they're calling the rabbits with tentacles 'Frankenstein rabbits'?
I've seen that term thrown around and that appears to be the case.
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New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
Rabbits With Hornlike Growths Are Hopping Around Colorado. Are They OK?
With black spikes growing on their heads, tentacles protruding from their mouths and sluglike growths blocking their eyes, several rabbits hopping around Colorado this week have invited social media comparison to nightmarish mutants. But local residents and pet owners shouldn't fear the unsightly creatures munching on grass in their backyards: The bunnies are simply infected with cottontail rabbit papillomavirus, a mostly benign infection that can't spread to other species, said Kara Van Hoose, a spokeswoman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Rabbits typically overcome the disease on their own, she said, and it becomes a cause for concern only if it hinders their ability to eat or see. Still, it can cause growths in infected rabbits that resemble 'gross' warts or horns, she said. A resident in Fort Collins, Colo., a city about 65 miles north of Denver, first reported an infected rabbit on Friday, Ms. Van Hoose said. Since then, her department has fielded more than a dozen calls about sightings, mostly from people in Northern Colorado. 'We're so used to seeing rabbits, so they're like, 'Oh my god, what is that on its face?'' Ms. Van Hoose said. ''I know what a rabbit is supposed to look like, and that's not it.'' It's not the first time this month that bunnies have driven the internet into a frenzy. Several rabbits used in a photo shoot by the fake heiress known as Anna Delvey were recently abandoned and then rescued in Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Cottontail rabbit papillomavirus is transmitted through biting insects such as fleas and mosquitoes, so rabbits are more likely to contract it in the summer, when interactions with bugs are more common, Ms. Van Hoose said. There's no cure or treatment for the disease, she said, so there are few ways to help. Officials aren't sure how many rabbits are infected because some people may be reporting the same ones repeatedly Ms. Van Hoose said. The virus won't infect most household pets, but people should keep pet rabbits indoors if they see infected wild rabbits in their area, she said. The disease is more severe in domesticated rabbits and can cause cancer, according to a National Institutes of Health study. Pet rabbits should be taken to a veterinarian if they are infected, according to a tipsheet from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Residents should also avoid feeding or interacting with the infected rabbits, and instead should enjoy the novelty of their strange appearances from afar, Ms. Van Hoose said. 'Nature is metal,' she said, 'and this can be kind of cool looking on different rabbits.'
6 hours ago
Rabbits with 'horns' are being called 'Frankenstein bunnies'
DENVER -- A group of rabbits in Colorado with grotesque, horn-like growths may seem straight out of a low-budget horror film, but scientists say there's no reason to be spooked — the furry creatures merely have a relatively common virus. The cottontails recently spotted in Fort Collins are infected with the mostly harmless Shope papillomavirus, which causes wart-like growths that protrude from their faces like metastasizing horns. Viral photos have inspired a fluffle of unflattering nicknames, including 'Frankenstein bunnies,' 'demon rabbits' and 'zombie rabbis.' But their affliction is nothing new, with the virus inspiring ancient folklore and fueling scientific research nearly 100 years ago. 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. News about the rabbit sightings in Fort Collins, 65 miles (105 kilometers) north of Denver, started getting attention after residents started spotting them around town and posting pictures. Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the agency has been getting calls about the rabbits seen in Fort Collins. But she said that it's not uncommon to see infected rabbits, especially in the summer, when the fleas and ticks that spread the virus are most active. The virus can spread from rabbit to rabbit but not to other species, including humans and pets, she said. The growths resemble warts but can look like horns if they grow longer, Van Hoose said. The growths don't harm rabbits unless they grow on their eyes or mouths and interfere with eating. Rabbits' immune systems are able to fight the virus and, once they do, the growths will disappear, she said. Finley reported from Norfolk, Virginia.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Colorado rabbits seem to be growing horns and tentacles. What's behind 'Frankenstein rabbits'?
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife representative told Yahoo that this virus is common in the Midwest during the summer. People in northern Colorado have been reporting sightings of wild rabbits with black horns and tentacles on their faces. The rabbits appeared to have 'black quills or black toothpicks' and 'a scabbiesh-looking growth over their face,' some Fort Collins residents told local outlet, 9News. Others have dubbed them 'Frankenstein rabbits.' These dark growths are most likely caused by a virus that tends to pop up in the summer in states like Colorado, South Dakota, Minnesota and Texas. The virus is Shope papilloma virus (SPV), which causes wartlike, waxy growths on a rabbit's face and is spread through biting insects like fleas or ticks, Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), told Yahoo. The virus is found in cottontail rabbits, especially during summer months, when there is higher rabbit density and insect activity. While CPW has received around a dozen reports of sightings over the last week, Van Hoose speculates that there probably aren't that many cases of SPV, but rather, many people are likely seeing the same group of infected rabbits. There is no risk of virus transmission to humans or other animals, though the CPW recommends that humans and pets should still stay away from and not interact with infected rabbits if they cross paths. However, the CPW also notes that domestic rabbits, if they are housed outside, could contract the virus from infected insects or rabbits. What to do if you spot a rabbit with SPV Rabbits remain mostly healthy after contracting SPV, even if the growths get very long and start to look like horns, which is why the CPW does not recommend euthanizing the infected rabbits. 'If someone sees a rabbit with the black tumors on its head or neck it is not a concern for Animal Control,' Julie Lindstrom, a supervisor at Sioux Falls Police Animal Control, told Keloland, a South Dakota news outlet. 'There is no rehabilitation for wild rabbits with this disease.' SPV is only harmful when the growths start to interfere with a rabbit's ability to eat or drink, which does not happen in every case. A person may be able to spot if this is a problem if they notice the rabbit doesn't seem able to hop properly, Lindstrom said. If you find a dead rabbit on your property, regardless of whether it is visibly infected or not, Lindstrom notes that it is safe to wear gloves and handle the animal yourself if you feel comfortable. Solve the daily Crossword
