There is widespread concern after some wild rabbits were spotted with "tentacles" on their faces - but what is actually happening?
As previously reported, residents in Fort Collins, Colorado, have been left both startled and concerned by sightings of wild rabbits with unsettling, horn-like growths protruding from their faces.
These “Frankenstein” bunnies, which have been described as having “tentacles” or “horns” sticking out from around their mouths, are suffering from a virus that, although disturbing in appearance, is not harmful to humans or pets.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the bizarre growths are caused by the Shope papilloma virus, also known as cottontail rabbit papilloma virus (CRPV), a virus that specifically affects wild rabbits.
The growths, which can look like black, spiky quills or black toothpicks sticking out from around the rabbits’ faces, are wart-like tumors.
Though the virus can cause the tumors to sometimes become malignant, it generally doesn’t pose a direct threat to the animals, unless the growths interfere with critical functions like the eyes or mouth.
CPW clarified that the virus is spread primarily by biting insects like mosquitoes or ticks and can also be passed through direct contact between infected rabbits.
"It looked like black quills or black toothpicks sticking out all around its mouth," described Fort Collins resident Susan Mansfield, who has seen the same rabbit in her yard for two consecutive years, with the growths becoming more pronounced each time, per KBTX.
"I thought he'd die off during the winter, but he didn’t. He came back a second year - and it grew."
Although this may sound terrifying, wildlife officials assured the public that the virus is relatively common among wild rabbit populations and is more akin to benign cancerous cells.
CPW has also made it clear that the virus is non-zoonotic, meaning it doesn’t spread to humans, dogs, or other animals, so there’s no need for alarm on that front.
However, they do advise against approaching or handling infected rabbits.
Despite the somewhat eerie appearance of these rabbits, experts emphasize that the condition is not as dangerous as it might seem at first glance.
The virus was first identified in 1933 and is now known as Shope papilloma virus, named after Richard E. Shope, who discovered it in cottontail rabbits in Midwestern America.
The virus is an oncogenic DNA virus, which means it has the potential to cause tumors, including the development of squamous cell carcinomas, a form of cancer.
Infected rabbits can suffer from a range of symptoms, including difficulty seeing or eating as the tumors grow, but, in many cases, the growths will not prove fatal.
For domestic rabbits, the virus can be treated by removing the tumors surgically, but, as with wild rabbits, experts advise that no one should attempt to touch or help an infected rabbit.
This message is particularly important in light of ongoing concerns about possible mutations of diseases, as seen with COVID-19, though CPW reassured that CRPV is not likely to pose any similar risk.
While the best course of action is to allow nature to run its course, this virus remains a fascinating -and unsettling - part of wildlife in Fort Collins, Colorado.