Latest news with #SusanMansfield
New York Post
5 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Freaky ‘Frankenstein' rabbits have been spotted in these 2 states: ‘They're all over here'
It's hare today, gone tomorrow — thanks to a face full of freaky tentacles. The grotesque 'Frankenstein'-esque rabbits — once just a Colorado curiosity — are now turning up in Minnesota and Nebraska, their furry faces sprouting grotesque horn- and tentacle-like growths straight out of a B-movie. The unsettling deformities are the calling card of cottontail papilloma virus (CRPV), also known as Shope papilloma virus — a bug that turns harmless bunnies into nightmare fuel. The DNA-twisting illness is spread when mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas bite an infected rabbit and then pass it along to others. While the virus doesn't affect humans or pets like dogs and cats, wildlife officials are warning: look, don't touch. 4 Mother Nature's gone mad scientist on America's rabbits, with more and more 'Frankenbunnies' emerging in two additional states. Universal Images Group via Getty Images First, the infection appears as small, red bumps. Then, as the virus works its dark magic, the spots erupt into wart-like tumors — which can harden into keratinized papillomas, the bizarre 'horns' and 'tentacles' now haunting Midwestern lawns. In some cases, those warts morph into deadly skin cancer. And this summer could be prime bunny-horror season: mosquito and tick numbers soar in the warm months, giving CRPV plenty of winged and crawling couriers to spread it across the heartland. 4 The freaky growths are the handiwork of cottontail papilloma virus — aka Shope papilloma virus — a bug that turns cuddly bunnies into straight-up nightmares. Universal Images Group via Getty Images Locals in Fort Collins, Colorado, have been spotting the deformed rabbits for weeks. Resident Susan Mansfield told 9News she saw one with what looked like 'black quills or black toothpicks sticking out all around his or her mouth.' 'I thought he would die off during the winter, but he didn't,' she said. 'He came back a second year, and it grew.' On Reddit, one Minnesotan recently reported seeing the phenomenon 'for the last few years in Minnesota,' adding that the rabbits around them 'died off who had it.' Another chimed in: 'They're all over here in St. Paul. When I google them, it's hundreds of MN based photos.' 4 Summer could be peak bunny-horror season: swarms of mosquitoes and ticks are spreading CRPV across the Midwest. Gunnar Boettcher/AP Meanwhile in Nebraska, one shocked resident posted a video of a bunny with the same creepy, fleshy appendages sprouting from its head and dangling beneath its mouth. CRPV isn't new — scientists have known about it for decades. In 2013, a Minnesota man's video of a tendril-ridden rabbit went viral, with viewers comparing it to the fabled Jackalope. While the virus is harmless to people, it can be deadly for the rabbits — sometimes growing so large that the twisted protrusions block their mouths, causing starvation, as per The Daily Mail. 4 Reddit users from Minnesota and Nebraska are sharing sightings of the freaky, tentacle-faced rabbits hopping through their neighborhoods. Reddit/Different_Try3353 And in domestic bunnies, the growths can lead to squamous cell carcinoma, a potentially fatal skin cancer. With no cure, experts warn to keep pets away, resist the urge to 'help,' and unfortunately let nature — however nightmarish — run its course.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Zombie Colorado rabbits with hornlike growths go viral; scientists share the unexpected truth behind the unusual condition
Rabbits in Fort Collins, Colorado, have recently been spotted with hornlike growths on their faces, sparking curiosity and concern among residents. Wildlife experts say the condition is caused by Shope papillomavirus, a relatively common disease in cottontail rabbits that does not pose a risk to humans or pets. Shope Papillomavirus and its effects The Shope papillomavirus, first identified in the 1930s by Dr. Richard E. Shope, causes wart-like growths that can resemble horns when they elongate. The virus spreads between rabbits through fleas and ticks, which are most active during the summer. While the growths are usually harmless, they can interfere with eating if they develop near the eyes or mouth. What are those called in The Last Of Us... CLICKERS?Rabbits spotted invading parts of the US with weird tentacles sprouting from their heads due to virus... Colorado officials are warning: "DO NOT TOUCH" Public sightings and reactions Local residents began posting photos of the unusual-looking rabbits, sometimes referring to them with nicknames like 'Frankenstein bunnies' or 'zombie rabbits.' Fort Collins resident Susan Mansfield said one rabbit she observed returned the following year with a larger growth. Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Kara Van Hoose confirmed the agency has received calls about the sightings but stressed that such cases are not unusual. Transmission and treatment The virus affects wild and domestic rabbits but cannot be transmitted to humans, pets, or other animal species. Infected wild rabbits often recover naturally as their immune systems clear the virus, causing the growths to disappear. In domestic rabbits, however, the disease can be more severe and should be treated by a veterinarian. In Colorado, USA, many people have recently witnessed rabbits with strange black horns growing on their heads. They are jokingly calling them "zombie rabbits." Officials say the rabbits are infected with a common virus, but they also warn people not to touch the infected rabbits. Historical context and folklore links Scientists believe the virus may have inspired the North American jackalope myth, a centuries-old tale of horned rabbits. The Shope papillomavirus also played a role in early research linking viruses to cancer, contributing to the understanding of human papillomavirus and its connection to diseases like cervical cancer. Cottontail species in Colorado Colorado is home to three cottontail rabbit species: mountain, desert, and eastern cottontails. They can be hard to distinguish except by habitat and geographic location, but all are susceptible to Shope papillomavirus. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Nightmare virus is causing tentacle-like growths on rabbits in the US
It's not just a bad hare day. A rapidly spreading virus is causing cottontail rabbits in the US to grow black, tentacle-like growths out of their heads. The so-called Frankenbunnies or zombie rabbits have been spotted multiple times in Fort Collins, Colorado, prompting warnings to steer clear of the mutated animals, the New York Post reports. Local resident Susan Mansfield said she saw a rabbit with what looked like 'black quills or black toothpicks sticking out all around his or her mouth.' 'I thought he would die off during the winter, but he didn't,' she told the local 9News. 'He came back a second year, and it grew.' One person described an infected critter as having 'a scabbiesh-looking growth over their face.' The so-called bunny blight is actually a disease called cottontail papilloma virus, also known as Shope papilloma virus, which causes cottontails to sprout tumours around their head. It is spread by parasites like ticks and fleas, which pass on the ailment through their bites, according to Pet MD. 'Typically rabbits become infected in the warmer months of summer when transmitted by being bitten by insects like fleas and ticks,' said Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Kara Van Hoose. In light of the rampant CRPV sightings, wildlife experts have warned people not to approach or handle any of the afflicted critters. Thankfully, while the virus can spread between rabbits, it is not known to infect humans or pets and is therefore not considered a threat to public health, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The rabbits, on the other hand, are often not so lucky. Although cases can resolve on their own, the Medusa-like protrusions can also balloon up to the point that they interfere with the infected carrot cruncher's ability to eat, causing the creatures to die of starvation. In addition, the disease is more severe in domestic bunnies than their wild brethren, with the big fear being that they can develop squamous cell carcinoma — a serious and potentially fatal skin cancer. For this reason, experts advise keeping wild rabbits away from pets. If a rabbit does become infected, veterinarians can surgically excise the malevolent dreadlocks before they can become malignant. Unfortunately, CRPV has no known cure.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Colorado Rabbits Growing 'Tentacles' Sparks Warning
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Residents in Fort Collins, Colorado, have been reporting sightings of wild rabbits with tentacle-like, black spiny growths around their mouths and faces, according to the local news station WFSB. A Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson told Newsweek that the growths are "most likely the rabbit (or shope) papilloma virus which is not uncommon in Colorado." "We have started to take more reports of rabbits in the northern Colorado area affected with the virus since photos were first published last Friday," they said. "We're up to maybe a dozen or so reports, but it's most likely people reporting the same rabbits and not a dozen rabbits infected." While the virus is not known to be contagious to other animals or humans, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has advised people to leave affected wild rabbits alone and ensure their pets do not to go near them. Why It Matters The unusual appearance of the rabbits has drawn significant concern among locals and even social media users online, prompting a number of references to the TV series The Last of Us, which follows two characters as the world is taken over by a fungal infection. File photo: a rabbit with the papilloma virus (CRPV), or Shope papilloma virus. File photo: a rabbit with the papilloma virus (CRPV), or Shope papilloma virus. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images What To Know Locals have described the growths as scabby patches with black, toothpick-like or quill-like protrusions around the mouth and face of cottontail rabbits spotted in yards and parks in Fort Collins, according to the WFSB report. The virus can also cause tumors resembling mini-antlers on their head. Per the outlet, one anonymous resident said: "It's kind of like a, just like a scabby-ish-looking growth over their face." Another local, Susan Mansfield, told the outlet: "Looks like it was black quills or black toothpicks sticking out all around his mouth, or her mouth." She added that she had seen a bunny continue to appear in her yard with the growths, and she told WFSB she thought "he would die off during the winter, but he didn't, he came back a second year, and it grew." Why Rabbits Are Growing 'Tentacles' Some say the Shope papilloma virus played a role in the cultivation of the North American myth of the jackalope and similar horned rabbit creatures, and that it also helped scientists discover that a virus could cause cancer, paving way for the HPV vaccine to be developed. Rabbits, typically wild cottontail populations, can get the virus from the bites of certain insects, such as mosquitoes and ticks, particularly during the summer months when it is warmer. The virus is related to the human papillomavirus, but SPV is not currently known to affect humans, although experts still advise that humans should stay away from any wild rabbits with the virus. For pet owners, clinical guidance for rabbits with the virus is to have the tumors removed, in case they become malignant, even though they can resolve themselves on their own. "We would be concerned only if the growths are on the eyes or impede the rabbit's ability to eat," a Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson told Newsweek. File photo: a rabbit with the papilloma virus (CRPV), or Shope papilloma virus. The virus infects rabbits, causing keratinous carcinomas, typically on or near the animal's head. File photo: a rabbit with the papilloma virus (CRPV), or Shope papilloma virus. The virus infects rabbits, causing keratinous carcinomas, typically on or near the animal's head. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images What People Are Saying Social media user Janice Nodine, wrote in a post on X: "Rabbits in Fort Collins are turning up with black, tentacle-like growths sprouting from their heads. Experts say it's caused by Shope Papillomavirus—a condition the animals carry for life. Officials insist it's "not dangerous to humans" … but warn: DO NOT TOUCH THEM. Strange, right? Makes you wonder what's really going on …" Dom Lucre, a social media user with more than 1.5 million followers on X, wrote on the platform: "Colorado officials just sent a warning of: "DO NOT TOUCH" to their residents after rabbits were spotted invading parts of the U.S. with weird tentacles sprouting from their heads due to virus." What Happens Next Colorado Parks and Wildlife have advised residents to keep their distance from affected wild rabbits.
International Business Times
5 days ago
- Health
- International Business Times
'Frankenstein' Rabbits with Mouth Tentacles, Black Horns Invade Colorado; Experts Urge to Stay Away
Rabbits in parts of the US are looking scary like creatures from nightmares with black horns and mouth tentacles. A change in appearance among this cuddly and fuzzy animal is causing concern among residents in Fort Collins, Colorado. According to experts, a rapidly spreading bizarre virus is turning these rabbits into horned creatures. Several residents in Fort Collins, Colorado, spotted these so-called "Frankenbunnies" in their neighborhood. According to local residents, these mutated rabbits were spotted with black-colored growths, resembling horns or tentacles, on their heads. "It looks like it was black quills or black toothpicks sticking out all around his or her mouth. I thought he would die off during the winter, but he didn't. He came back a second year, and it grew," Fort Collins resident Susan Mansfield told 9NEWS. Frankenstein Rabbits X Experts Urge Public to Stay Away The strange-looking, not-so-cute bunnies have raised concern among the local residents. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials have identified the cause for this change in appearance among cottontail rabbits. They revealed that it is caused by the cottontail papilloma virus (CRPV), also known as Shope papilloma virus. When a rabbit becomes infected with this virus, tumors grow on or nearby its head, resulting in a change in appearance. "Rabbit papillomas are growths on the skin caused by the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus. The growths have no significant effects on wild rabbits unless they interfere with eating/drinking. Most infected cottontails can survive the viral infection, after which the growths will go away. For this reason, CPW does not recommend euthanizing rabbits with papillomas unless they are interfering with the rabbit's ability to eat and drink", Colorado Parks and Wildlife stated. Frankenstein Rabbits X Though the virus poses no threat to humans or other species, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Kara Van Hoose urged people to stay away from the infected rabbits. She said people and pets should not approach, catch, touch, or feed the infected rabbits. "Like other papillomaviruses, this virus is specific to rabbits and does not cause disease in other species. There is a risk of transmission to domestic rabbits, especially if they are housed outdoors, where the bunnies may contact infected wild rabbits or biting insects. In domestic rabbits, the disease is more severe than in wild rabbits and should be treated by a veterinarian," the official website for Colorado Parks and Wildlife shared.
