Zombie Rabbits With Black Horn-Covered Faces Spotted In US' Colorado: Scientists Warn Of Deadly Wildlife Virus Spread

Zombie Rabbit Virus In US: As per experts the condition is caused by Shope papilloma virus, a disease that creates wart-like tumors on rabbits, often around the head, ears, and eyelids.

Rabbits in Fort Collins and other parts of Colorado have developed 'scary' horn-like and tentacle-shaped growths protruding from their heads and faces. The alarming phenomenon has raised concerns across the states, while the affected rabbits are being dubbed as Zombie Bunnies or Frankenstein Bunnies.

Locals in Fort Collins have sighted multiple rabbits with scary spikes, including one rabbit that returned to a homeowner for two consecutive years with more severe growth. "I thought he would die off during the winter, but he didn't," Susan Mansfield, a Fort Collins local, told the media. "He came back a second year, and it grew."

What Is The Virus That's Affecting Colorado Rabbits?

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials, the unsettling development in Colorado is caused by Shope Papillomavirus (SPV) or Cottontail Rabbit Papillomavirus (CRPV), a disease that leads rabbits to develop wart-like tumours around the head, ears, and even eyelids.

Are Humans And Pets Safe From The Virus?

As the new virus spotted in the United States raises up questions about another pandemic threat, experts stated that there is little data available from experts about the risk of this new virus jumping onto humans. The virus typically affects the cottontail rabbits in the United States, and therefore, although the growth may look disturbing, officials have stressed that they do not pose any threat to humans, pets, or even other wildlife. The Shope Papillomavirus (SPV) spreads only between rabbits, typically through bites from insects such as mosquitoes and ticks.

What is Shope Papilloma Virus?

As of now, experts say that the Shope Papillomavirus (SPV) is from the small family of new enveloped viruses called Papovaviridae. In a recently published research paper, the ScienceDirect, stated that the SPV is an oncogenic DNA virus which is mechanically transmitted through biting arthropods, including ticks.

Although infections of domestic rabbits are rare, some cases which has been reported have shown multiple hyperkeratotic hornlike lesions mainly around the ears, eyelids, neck, and shoulders.

ScienceDirect journal in its publication states that "manual removal results in healing in wild rabbits, but in domestic rabbits, experimental infection resulted in approximately 75% of inoculation sites undergoing malignant transformation to squamous cell carcinoma."

How To Protect Yourself From The Virus?

Although the virus is species-specific and cannot be caught by humans, pets, or other wildlife, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials advise residents to avoid approaching or touching affected rabbits.

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