As if I didn't hate ticks enough already. Images have been surfacing that look absolutely terrifying. I swear, these bunnies look like they just stepped out of Resident Evil. Adorable little cottontails are now sprouting horrifying black spikes all over their faces. What is causing this horrendous outbreak? It turns out to be a new virus that is causing rabbits to grow these horrible spikes.
New Terrifying Virus Causes Rabbits To Grow Spikes
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Like many other horrible diseases, the culprit behind this one is none other than the infamous tick. Additionally, fleas and parasites can also transport this nasty disease. The NY Post shares that the bunny blight is "called cottontail papilloma virus (CRPV), also known as Shope papilloma virus." Also, they share that those black, tentacle-like growths sprouting from their heads are tumors.
So far, these poor cottontails have been spotted multiple times in Fort Collins, Colorado. One resident, Susan Mansfield, spoke about the rabbits with 9News. She admitted that she saw the rabbit and assumed it would have died off during the winter. However, not only did the rabbit not die, but its black spikes grew.
People have gotten creative when explaining how these infected rabbits look. Comments ranged from "black toothpicks" to "scabbbish growth", even to "Frankenstein bunny." All of those names are alarmingly accurate.
What You Need To Know
So far, the infected rabbits seem to be primarily located in the Midwest. Additionally, infection rates tend to rise in the warmer summer months, when insects like fleas and ticks are most prevalent. Luckily, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife argues that while these "Frankenstein" bunnies look absolutely horrifying, they are not a threat to public health and safety. So far, there has been no indication of this virus's ability to spread to humans or pets.
However, they still advise people not to approach or handle any infected animal. Additionally, if you have a pet bunny, it can spread to them. Research indicates that the blight seems to be worse for domesticated rabbits rather than their wild counterparts. In most cases, these tumors continue to grow until the rabbit's ability to function or eat is impaired. In which case, most of the rabbits starve.
If a rabbit does become infected, veterinarians can surgically remove the spikes before they become malignant, but there is currently no cure for the terrifying disease.
