Wild rabbits in Colorado are showing unusual horn-like growths attributed to the Shope papillomavirus. This condition has been observed in Fort Collins, where some residents reported multiple sightings. The virus does not transmit to other animals, and rabbits often recover without long-term effects. Colorado Parks & Wildlife is investigating the severity of this outbreak compared to previous years. This phenomenon, usually found in Midwestern rabbits, may have contributed to the legend of the jackalope.
Earlier this month, KUSA's Amanda Gilbert described the phenomenon as "black, tentacle-like protrusions coming from [the rabbits'] heads" and noted that some Fort Collins residents had seen multiple rabbits in the wild exhibiting those characteristics.
The wild rabbits have been infected by the Shope papillomavirus. The good news is that this virus can't spread to other types of animals - and the rabbits' own immune systems are usually strong enough to overcome the infection, at which point the horns become a thing of the past.
It's also difficult to say, if we get 10 reports, if it's 10 different rabbits or if it's two rabbits that maybe we're seeing five different times.
This condition is seen most frequently in cottontail rabbits of the Midwest with outbreaks in domestic rabbits.
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