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Residents of Fort Collins in Northern Colorado are on high alert after stumbling across wild rabbits with black horns and tentacles on their faces. But fear not, this isn’t a Monty Python killer rabbit type of situation.
Instead, the rabbits are suffering from a disease known as Shope papilloma virus (SPV), which causes wartlike, waxy growths on a rabbit’s face and is spread through biting insects like fleas or ticks.
Local media outlet 9News first reported on the strange creatures, and area residents remain on high alert even after learning more about the animals.
Colorado Rabbits With Shope Papilloma Virus Aren’t Dangerous To Humans
Despite the concern from residents, the rabbits aren’t actually dangerous. Not only does the virus not make them rabid or feral, but it also cannot be transmitted to humans. The only actual concern is if residents own a domesticated rabbit at home, which could be at risk of contracting the disease.
In late 2022, the disease also affected rabbits in nearby South Dakota.
“If someone sees a rabbit with the black tumors on its head or neck, it is not a concern for Animal Control unless the animal doesn’t appear to be able to hop or eat,” Sioux Falls Police Animal Control Supervisor Julie Lindstrom said at the time. “There is no rehabilitation for wild rabbits with this disease, and unfortunately, if the animal is found to be suffering it will be humanely euthanized.”
While the disease is not a danger to humans or other pets outside of rabbits, it is visually jarring.
Shope Papilloma Virus causes black growths to sprout from the animal’s face and head, and these growths can often be several inches long.
Thankfully, the virus itself is not deadly to the rabbits, but the virus is also not curable and can sometimes cause suffering for the animals.