Zombie Rabbits: The Real Story Behind Colorado’s Viral ’Demon Bunnies’
Science 7 days ago
Viral images of ’zombie rabbits’ in Colorado are real, but far from supernatural. The cottontail bunnies are infected with Shope Papilloma Virus, a disease causing black, horn-like growths around their faces. Though alarming in appearance, the virus is harmless unless growths block eyes or mouths. Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirms these cases near Fort Collins are routine, spread by summer-active fleas and ticks.
The virus, first documented in 1931, doesn’t threaten humans or pets but inspired the jackalope myth—a rabbit-antelope hybrid of folklore. While wild rabbits recover naturally, pet bunnies may need veterinary care. The growths vanish once the immune system fights the infection, leaving no lasting damage.
Surprisingly, studying this virus has aided cancer research, revealing how viruses like HPV trigger diseases. Officials warn against touching infected rabbits but emphasize they’re part of a long-standing—if eerie—ecological phenomenon.