Panic spreads as more 'Frankenstein' rabbits with face-tentacles appear in two more US states
The 'Frankenstein' rabbits recently made headlines in Colorado, as locals reported seeing the infected animals wandering through neighborhoods.
However, the sightings have not been isolated that state. Residents in Minnesota and Nebraska have shared more images and stories of these deformed rabbits popping up.
The rabbits are infected with the cottontail papilloma virus (CRPV), also known as Shope papilloma virus, which causes horn- or tentacle-like tumors to grow around the animals' heads and faces.
Wildlife officials have urged people who see any rabbits with these growths to stay away and not touch them.
The DNA-altering virus spreads when mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas bite an infected rabbit and then transmit CRPV to other rabbits.
Since mosquito and tick seasons peak during the warmer summer months, cases of the potentially fatal condition could soon skyrocket throughout the Midwest.
After being spotted multiple times in Fort Collins, Colorado, users on Reddit have now reported seeing infected rabbits near the major cities of St Paul and Minneapolis.
'My neighborhood is filled with cottontails with Shope papillomavirus,' one St Paul resident said on Reddit last month.
'Same in Minneapolis. By mid-late summer it seems all the surviving new rabbits have it,' another Reddit user replied.
Other Minnesota residents noted that rabbits who did not show signs of the virus had actually become a rarity in the area.
Scientists noted that CRPV rarely spreads through direct contact between these rabbits, and there are no known cases of insects infecting people with it through a bite.
The first sign that a rabbit has the virus is red, raised spots on their skin that eventually turn into wart-like tumors.
In many cases, these warts develop into keratinized papillomas, the 'horns' and 'tentacles' seen growing out of rabbits' heads.
However, some of the warts can turn into a squamous cell carcinoma, a serious skin cancer that can be deadly if it spreads and isn't treated early.
After the recent sightings in Colorado, state parks and wildlife officials noted that other pets, such as dogs and cats, should be immune to the infection as well.
Fort Collins resident Susan Mansfield compared the tumors to 'black quills or black toothpicks' sticking out of the rabbits, adding that local witnesses thought the animals would die off during the winter months, which did not happen.
In Nebraska, residents also spotted tentacle-covered rabbits continuing to survive in the snow earlier this year.
The virus is not thought to be painful unless the growths affect a rabbit's eyes or mouth, interfering with their ability to eat, causing them to die of starvation.
Some on social media have questioned whether euthanizing infected wild rabbits would stop the spread.
'Is it more humane to kill them when [they're] like that or just leave them alone?' one person posted on Reddit.
'Put him out of his misery,' another person declared.
Despite some people feeling that it would be compassionate to end the rabbits' suffering, animal control officials in the US have not made any kind of recommendation supporting this
Colorado Parks and Wildlife added that the virus does not pose a public health risk to people or other species, so the best course of action is to simply leave the rabbits alone.
The virus starts with raised, red spots on the rabbit's skin which eventually turn into tough, wart-like growths on the head and face
Rabbits that contract the virus have often been the source of stories about the mythical 'jackalope,' which is a rabbit with antlers of an antelope.
Stories and illustrations of horned rabbits have appeared in scientific books dating back many years, such as the Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique from 1789.
Online, many people commenting on the recent explosion in CRPV sightings have referenced the mythical creature.
'So jackalope myths could have a realistic historical precedent?!' one person on Reddit asked.
According to Smithsonian, taxidermist Douglas Herrick was credited with creating the jackalope myth after he and his brother Ralph mounted antelope horns on a jackrabbit they had killed in the 1930s.
However, it's believed that the brothers from Wyoming may have been inspired to create the hoax after spotting real cases of CRPV in the wild.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Eggs keep fresh 6 weeks longer with 'American storage method' that stops them rotting
Eggs are a staple in most kitchens and there are several ways to store them but the best storage method prevents them from going off before the best-before date Eggs frequently boast a lengthy shelf life but improper storage can result in harmful bacteria developing, potentially making you unwell or causing them to go off before their use-by date. Nobody fancies the revolting stench of rotten eggs wafting through their kitchen, yet there's ongoing debate about the optimal way to store eggs to maintain freshness - with most Brits leaving them on worktops while most Americans pop them in the fridge. Rebecca McLeod, a pastry chef and creator of Bec's Table, has revealed that the secret to maintaining eggs fresh and free from bacteria lies in storing them at a consistent constant temperature, though it's preferable to keep them chilled. It comes as woman, 45, is the second to die after eating 'toxic broccoli' in Italy as veg recalled. She explained: "If they were in the fridge at the store, keep them refrigerated at home. If they were on a shelf at the store, leave them out at home (unless your kitchen is particularly warm) and use them more quickly. "In a nutshell, it's best to store supermarket eggs in the fridge once you get home, just to be safe", reports the Express. What's the optimal location to store eggs in the kitchen? Eggs require consistent temperature storage as they can house bacteria, particularly salmonella, and any temperature changes will trigger condensation to develop on the shell. Any dampness on the shell enables bacteria to more easily breach the shell and reproduce inside the egg, leading to contamination. While eggs can be stored either on the kitchen counter or in the fridge, it's often best to keep them refrigerated to maintain a cool temperature, particularly during the summer months. Rebecca added: "I keep eggs on the counter during winter at the cooking school where I teach. When purchasing between 120 and 150 eggs at a time, cramming them into the fridge is unnecessary, as they'd take up valuable space. "However, I store my eggs in the fridge during summer to maintain their freshness." How to properly store eggs in the fridge Ensure you place your eggs on a middle shelf in your fridge, not inside the fridge door. The fluctuating temperatures caused by the door opening and closing can lead to condensation. It's also crucial to keep eggs in the carton they come in from the supermarket, as it's designed to shield the eggs from bacteria. Avoid storing eggs in an egg caddy. Despite their popularity, a caddy won't provide the necessary protection for the egg. Rebecca explained: "Egg cartons are also designed to minimise water loss from the eggs and prevent cross-contamination of unwanted flavours from other foods lurking in your fridge. No wonder the industry has long stuck with this classic carton design!". How to check if an egg is fresh If stored correctly at a cool temperature in the fridge, eggs will stay fresh for up to six weeks longer. However, if you're concerned that an egg may have spoiled, try the glass test. All you need to do is pop the egg into a glass that's half-filled with water. If the egg floats, bin it as it's gone off, but if it drops to the bottom then it's still safe to consume. Rebecca explained: "When handling eggs, always exercise caution. If I pick up an egg with a visible crack and signs of leakage, I toss it. If it has a fine hairline crack, I'll either perform the glass test or discard it. I don't take any unnecessary risks in my kitchen. Remember the saying: "When in doubt, throw it out."
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
US records more cases of Chikungunya virus
Cases of the debilitating chikungunya virus sweeping through China are also surging in the US, health officials have warned. CDC officials have reported four more cases this week, bringing the total to 50 cases of chikungunya in the US, all of which are in people who traveled to areas where it is more common like Asia and South America. It is unclear how many are linked to China's outbreak. The virus, which is spread by the Aedes mosquito, can cause sudden, agonizing joint pain in the hands and feet that can be so severe that it leaves sufferers unable to move normally for months. Chikungunya is tearing through China with more than 10,000 cases, leaving the nation battling its largest outbreak ever. The outbreak has prompted the CDC to issue a level 2 travel warning for China, which urges Americans to take extra precautions when visiting the area. The notice also applies to Brazil, Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand. Chikungunya is a 'nationally notifiable' condition in the US, meaning health authorities can voluntarily report cases to the agency for national tracking and monitoring. While a handful of cases pop up in the US every year from people traveling to high-risk areas, it hasn't experienced local transmission since 2019. But with 1.6million people traveling between the US and China every year, mosquitoes in America could bite an infected traveler and begin transmitting the virus locally to Americans. Dr Louisa Messenger, a mosquito researcher in Nevada , previously told : 'This outbreak in China is very concerning. It [the virus] could already be here in the US; and really it's just one plane flight away.' Along with the CDC, travel agencies and cruise lines have also issued warnings about preventing mosquito-borne diseases, including chikungunya, dengue and Lyme disease, all of which have been detected in the US so far this year. Chikungunya is spread to humans from a bite from the Aedes mosquito, which also spread dengue fever, yellow fever and Zika virus. The infection does not spread from person to person through bodily contact or saliva. However, pregnant women who become infected near the time of delivery can pass the virus to their baby during birth, which can result in severe illness in the newborn. About 15 to 35 percent of people infected with the virus are asymptomatic, the CDC reports. The incubation period is typically three to seven days and the most common symptom is a sudden onset of a fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 degrees Celsius). Other symptoms of chikungunya virus include headache, nausea, rash, muscle aches, swelling and redness of the conjunctiva (the white part of the eye and inner eyelids) and joint pain that is sometimes severe and debilitating in the hands or feet. In severe cases, life-threatening complications involving the heart and brain can occur such as inflammation, irregular heartbeats and organ failure. Symptoms usually last seven to 10 days, but patients may experience lifelong complications such as persistent joint pain. There is no specific treatment for chikungunya, and doctors mostly focus on easing symptoms like over-the-counter pain and fever medications. However, there are two vaccines available for people visiting an area with an outbreak.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Mass poisoning. Mind control. And weather tampering. The TRUTH about 'chemtrails'
The white lines seen following airplanes as they fly could be full of harmful chemicals that are toxic in Americans' health, some people claim. The streaks left across the sky from planes, called contrails, are formed by water vapor from the plane's exhaust freezing in the cold air at high altitudes. Your browser does not support iframes.
